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The Archimedean Heart
Paris 1880, the City of Light. Clockwork nobles of the Court promenade through the halls of Versailles, while Watcher spheres and cyborg police menace citizens in the streets. The Royal Scientist Doctor works frantically on an automaton designed to replace the failing sovereigns, but will it be ready in time to save the monarchy? In the cafes of Montmartre, Henri paints the common people chafing under the reign of the Augmented monarchs and dreams of a France free of machines. John yearns to capture the essence of beauty in his paintings with the luminous Marie-Ange his muse-and handmaid to the ancient Queen of France. With his brother Henri entangled in revolution, he must choose between the artificial beauty of Court and the movement to restore France. How much humanity can be lost before you are no longer human?
- GenresQueerScience Fiction
240 pages, Paperback
Published May 12, 2016
About the author
B.J. Sikes
9 books18 followersI am a 5'6" ape descendant who is inordinately fond of a good strong cup of tea, Doc Marten boots & fancy dress.
I write fantastical history with a modern feminist lens, a touch of heartbreak, and a little bit of steampunk.
My debut novel, The Archimedean Heart begins the Roboticist of Versailles series.
A novella that follows the events of The Archimedean Heart appears in the 2017 anthology The Clockwork Oracle. The full-length sequel, The Vitruvian Mask continues Adelaide's story.
My third full-length novel, The Cultist's Wife is a gothic horror inspired by a childhood experience.
I was also the chief editor and contributor of a triad of short story anthologies: Twelve Hours Later: 24 Tales of Myth and Mystery, Thirty Days Later, Steaming Forward: 30 Adventures in Time, and Some Time Later: Fantastic Voyages Through Alternate Worlds.
I write fantastical history with a modern feminist lens, a touch of heartbreak, and a little bit of steampunk.
My debut novel, The Archimedean Heart begins the Roboticist of Versailles series.
A novella that follows the events of The Archimedean Heart appears in the 2017 anthology The Clockwork Oracle. The full-length sequel, The Vitruvian Mask continues Adelaide's story.
My third full-length novel, The Cultist's Wife is a gothic horror inspired by a childhood experience.
I was also the chief editor and contributor of a triad of short story anthologies: Twelve Hours Later: 24 Tales of Myth and Mystery, Thirty Days Later, Steaming Forward: 30 Adventures in Time, and Some Time Later: Fantastic Voyages Through Alternate Worlds.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 6, 2022
I really enjoyed this book's steampunk take on the French monarchy. The science fantasy aspects were very cool. Also, because I love art history, it was very neat to have main characters who were artists (including some that I've studied!) Honestly, just living in this world was my favorite thing about this book, thinking about what it would be like to live in that time--and how the presence of quasi-magical cyborg monarchs would change things. That's a pretty original counterfactual, and it was definitely interesting to explore!
The story itself wasn't as compelling to me. I particularly found the main character, John's, sort of misogynist attitude to be challenging (though certainly appropriate for the period). He very much idealizes his love interest, a beautiful girl who he barely knows but likes because she seems innocent and pure, and then is disgusted by her when she can't live up to those standards. Although probably an accurate way to depict the attitudes of the time, that made it hard to want to spend much time with this character, particularly towards the end of the book. On the other hand, Artemisia, the lady Scientist, ROCKS.
This is a fun and original idea, and the prose is great.
The story itself wasn't as compelling to me. I particularly found the main character, John's, sort of misogynist attitude to be challenging (though certainly appropriate for the period). He very much idealizes his love interest, a beautiful girl who he barely knows but likes because she seems innocent and pure, and then is disgusted by her when she can't live up to those standards. Although probably an accurate way to depict the attitudes of the time, that made it hard to want to spend much time with this character, particularly towards the end of the book. On the other hand, Artemisia, the lady Scientist, ROCKS.
This is a fun and original idea, and the prose is great.
October 20, 2016
I received this book via goodreads in exchange for an honest review
a very unusual and different book really enjoyed it
a very unusual and different book really enjoyed it
May 26, 2023
I received an advance reader copy of The Archimedean Heart for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Like most genres, authors can bend steampunk to their will, to tell the story they want to tell, as exemplified through The Archimedean Heart. While it includes many of the trappings that fans of the genre—myself included—love, the author has written a novel that feels more akin to straight historical fiction.
While this may alarm the steampunk faithful, it's no cause for concern; it's a stronger book for it. While set in a steampunk world during the Victorian Era—although in France, an unexpected location that offers a distinct European flavour—the author presents a world and story that feels as though it’s rooted in history. While its France is filled with bland bread and technology far beyond what the history books tell us, the novel tells a grounded tale that absorbs the reader. It's a book about beauty, humanity and art and puts the punk in steampunk. With a story about working to overthrow a monarchy while questioning how far is too far to take technology, it resonates in ways that many of its contemporaries don’t.
Although a relatively short read The Archimedean Heart fits so much story into its pages. No space is wasted as it tells the story of half-brothers, artists John and Henri, and “Physician Scientist” Adelaide. Hired to paint a portrait of the Queen of France, John suspects she may be an automaton. A rebel group, the Underground, determined to overthrow the Queen, recruits Henri to their cause. And Adelaide works to create an automaton that will someday replace the ageing and failing Queen. The novel balances these story arcs wonderfully, with the three narratives converging into an intricate web.
This book is the perfect example of how much value prologues can add. It serves as a brief introduction to the world, separate to the major narrative threads, while also setting the scene for what’s to come. The remainder of the story builds slowly, crafting a tale of intrigue. It's expertly paced and will keep the reader hooked until the end. With plenty of twists and turns, I was never sure what to expect, and its pulse pounding finale had me gripped.
Its main characters could easily have acted as its sole protagonist, and would have been a delight to follow. The closeness between John and Henri resonates wonderfully. They are both artists; John is the more successful of the two, thanks to his insistence on only painting those he finds beautiful, presenting works that look as artificial as his augmented subjects. Henri, meanwhile, struggles financially as he paints the common people, resulting in works that capture their natural beauty. Adelaide can also be considered an artist as she works to create a new automaton monarch. While she takes a comparative backseat compared to the brothers, her story intersecting with theirs provides some wonderful shared moments.
The relationships are full of nuance and underscore the book’s humanity. It touches upon many themes, including what art captures about its subjects, at what point are people are no longer human if they continually augment themselves, the ways technology can disrupt the world, what the definition of beauty is, and the fight for a better world (or falling into extremism). At every turn, this humanity shines through the themes, ensuring they are all wonderfully resonant.
The prose is clear and the language used articulates everything it needs to. It concisely describes events, characters and their feelings, while also being evocative. It also regularly brought a smile to my face. I felt as though I was inside this alternate version of 1880 Paris, and the use of French words and spellings adds to the atmosphere. No words are wasted; it is tightly written and edited. The dialogue works just as well; each character has their own unique voice that flows wonderfully while sounding perfectly natural.
This book Heart is the first in the Robotocist of Versailles series, but stands entirely on its own. On the strength of this novel, though, I imagine anybody who reads this will want to read the sequel.
Fans of steampunk will find so much to love. It's a book that transcends its genre, full of resonant themes and wonderful characters. And if you’re not a fan of steampunk stories, you can consider the book historical fiction and still find a lot to love.
My full review will be available on my website from 29 May, 2023. To read it, and a host of other reviews (including The Vitruvian Heart), click here.
Like most genres, authors can bend steampunk to their will, to tell the story they want to tell, as exemplified through The Archimedean Heart. While it includes many of the trappings that fans of the genre—myself included—love, the author has written a novel that feels more akin to straight historical fiction.
While this may alarm the steampunk faithful, it's no cause for concern; it's a stronger book for it. While set in a steampunk world during the Victorian Era—although in France, an unexpected location that offers a distinct European flavour—the author presents a world and story that feels as though it’s rooted in history. While its France is filled with bland bread and technology far beyond what the history books tell us, the novel tells a grounded tale that absorbs the reader. It's a book about beauty, humanity and art and puts the punk in steampunk. With a story about working to overthrow a monarchy while questioning how far is too far to take technology, it resonates in ways that many of its contemporaries don’t.
Although a relatively short read The Archimedean Heart fits so much story into its pages. No space is wasted as it tells the story of half-brothers, artists John and Henri, and “Physician Scientist” Adelaide. Hired to paint a portrait of the Queen of France, John suspects she may be an automaton. A rebel group, the Underground, determined to overthrow the Queen, recruits Henri to their cause. And Adelaide works to create an automaton that will someday replace the ageing and failing Queen. The novel balances these story arcs wonderfully, with the three narratives converging into an intricate web.
This book is the perfect example of how much value prologues can add. It serves as a brief introduction to the world, separate to the major narrative threads, while also setting the scene for what’s to come. The remainder of the story builds slowly, crafting a tale of intrigue. It's expertly paced and will keep the reader hooked until the end. With plenty of twists and turns, I was never sure what to expect, and its pulse pounding finale had me gripped.
Its main characters could easily have acted as its sole protagonist, and would have been a delight to follow. The closeness between John and Henri resonates wonderfully. They are both artists; John is the more successful of the two, thanks to his insistence on only painting those he finds beautiful, presenting works that look as artificial as his augmented subjects. Henri, meanwhile, struggles financially as he paints the common people, resulting in works that capture their natural beauty. Adelaide can also be considered an artist as she works to create a new automaton monarch. While she takes a comparative backseat compared to the brothers, her story intersecting with theirs provides some wonderful shared moments.
The relationships are full of nuance and underscore the book’s humanity. It touches upon many themes, including what art captures about its subjects, at what point are people are no longer human if they continually augment themselves, the ways technology can disrupt the world, what the definition of beauty is, and the fight for a better world (or falling into extremism). At every turn, this humanity shines through the themes, ensuring they are all wonderfully resonant.
The prose is clear and the language used articulates everything it needs to. It concisely describes events, characters and their feelings, while also being evocative. It also regularly brought a smile to my face. I felt as though I was inside this alternate version of 1880 Paris, and the use of French words and spellings adds to the atmosphere. No words are wasted; it is tightly written and edited. The dialogue works just as well; each character has their own unique voice that flows wonderfully while sounding perfectly natural.
This book Heart is the first in the Robotocist of Versailles series, but stands entirely on its own. On the strength of this novel, though, I imagine anybody who reads this will want to read the sequel.
Fans of steampunk will find so much to love. It's a book that transcends its genre, full of resonant themes and wonderful characters. And if you’re not a fan of steampunk stories, you can consider the book historical fiction and still find a lot to love.
My full review will be available on my website from 29 May, 2023. To read it, and a host of other reviews (including The Vitruvian Heart), click here.
February 16, 2026
This is not your typical steampunk book.
Not that I am any great authority on this subject, having not read a whole lot of steampunk stories over my reading career. I would classify this much more as historical social fantasy, with a very important steampunk element.
It’s set in France in the late 1800s, in a world where the French Revolution never happened because a steampunk technology was able to supply food and stability to the people at the cost of their liberty.
But now things are coming to a head once again.
The story revolves around two brothers. John is a mixed race man, light skinned and able to pass in polite society. He’s also a portrait painter who lives for beauty, and worships the nobility, who have made themselves into the human equivalent of porcelain dolls. It’s a version of beauty untethered to reality.
His half brother Henri, in contrast, is also a painter, but he sees beauty in the common people. With his darker skin, he will never find a home in the houses of nobility, and would never want one. He’s working for the revolution, and hopes for a day when France is once again free.
One day, John gets an invitation to paint a portrait of the queen. When he finally meets Her Majesty, everything he thought he believed is shake to its foundation, and as those cracks spread, they threaten the woman he loves and the very society he lives in.
This is a fascinating book, a case study in “what might have been.” Sikes characters are very well drawn, and are set a collision course with one another from the beginning. The inevitable collision will have great consequences for all involved.
And for one character in particular.
The Archimedean Heart draws you in, weaving a spell that will entrance you, and after the shocking ending, will leave you dying to know what happens next.
Highly recommended.
Not that I am any great authority on this subject, having not read a whole lot of steampunk stories over my reading career. I would classify this much more as historical social fantasy, with a very important steampunk element.
It’s set in France in the late 1800s, in a world where the French Revolution never happened because a steampunk technology was able to supply food and stability to the people at the cost of their liberty.
But now things are coming to a head once again.
The story revolves around two brothers. John is a mixed race man, light skinned and able to pass in polite society. He’s also a portrait painter who lives for beauty, and worships the nobility, who have made themselves into the human equivalent of porcelain dolls. It’s a version of beauty untethered to reality.
His half brother Henri, in contrast, is also a painter, but he sees beauty in the common people. With his darker skin, he will never find a home in the houses of nobility, and would never want one. He’s working for the revolution, and hopes for a day when France is once again free.
One day, John gets an invitation to paint a portrait of the queen. When he finally meets Her Majesty, everything he thought he believed is shake to its foundation, and as those cracks spread, they threaten the woman he loves and the very society he lives in.
This is a fascinating book, a case study in “what might have been.” Sikes characters are very well drawn, and are set a collision course with one another from the beginning. The inevitable collision will have great consequences for all involved.
And for one character in particular.
The Archimedean Heart draws you in, weaving a spell that will entrance you, and after the shocking ending, will leave you dying to know what happens next.
Highly recommended.
November 26, 2023
Not a steam punk novel
This is more an adolescent romance with a few steam punk concepts tossed in. And that's too bad; the larger plot of augmented rulers clinging to power while revolutionaries work against them is a good one but superficial/undeveloped. The biggest problem is that writers should know something about the historical period they are writing about. They should have an understanding of the seriousness of the era, the dangers, the attitudes and behaviors of the people living during those times- of how the people felt, hoped and feared. That is seriously lacking here. The characters are immature, talking and behaving like 11 year olds. The dialogue is repetitive and superficial. This all plays out as some grand adventure, a middle school lark-- much like TPing the mayor's house or egging the jail.
It's a disappointment--and my search for another good steam punk novel continues.
This is more an adolescent romance with a few steam punk concepts tossed in. And that's too bad; the larger plot of augmented rulers clinging to power while revolutionaries work against them is a good one but superficial/undeveloped. The biggest problem is that writers should know something about the historical period they are writing about. They should have an understanding of the seriousness of the era, the dangers, the attitudes and behaviors of the people living during those times- of how the people felt, hoped and feared. That is seriously lacking here. The characters are immature, talking and behaving like 11 year olds. The dialogue is repetitive and superficial. This all plays out as some grand adventure, a middle school lark-- much like TPing the mayor's house or egging the jail.
It's a disappointment--and my search for another good steam punk novel continues.
June 22, 2019
Delightful reimagining of the French Court
I love all the intricate details BJ weaves into this story about Paris and Versailles. Her characters were engaging, tragic and believable. Can't wait for the next installment!
I love all the intricate details BJ weaves into this story about Paris and Versailles. Her characters were engaging, tragic and believable. Can't wait for the next installment!
July 31, 2023
Steampunk meets alternative history in this story that is set in France in the 1870’s. A France where electricity, robotics and science rule the nation, yet where art still plays a fundamental role, setting up an interesting tension in the plot. The characters portray certain social attitudes typical of the time in which the story is set, and which may feel uncomfortable to a modern reader. Notwithstanding this, an enjoyable read in an intriguing world. Looking forward to continuing the story to discover where it leads…
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews