What do you think?
Rate this book
Clockwork Angels Graphic Novels #2
Clockwork Lives: The Graphic Novel
Some lives can be summed up in a sentence or two. Other lives are epics.
Marinda Peake is a woman with a quiet, perfect life in a small village; she long ago gave up on her dreams and ambitions in order to take care of her ailing father, an alchemist and inventor. When he dies, he gives Marinda a mysterious a blank book that she must fill with other people’s stories—and ultimately her own.
Clockwork Lives is a steampunk Canterbury Tales—and much more—that follows Marinda as she strives to change her life from a “mere sentence or two” to a true epic.
Based on the world they previously introduced in Clockwork Angels , Kevin J. Anderson and Neil Peart take the graphic novel to new heights with this adaptation of the best-selling book Clockwork Lives .
Marinda Peake is a woman with a quiet, perfect life in a small village; she long ago gave up on her dreams and ambitions in order to take care of her ailing father, an alchemist and inventor. When he dies, he gives Marinda a mysterious a blank book that she must fill with other people’s stories—and ultimately her own.
Clockwork Lives is a steampunk Canterbury Tales—and much more—that follows Marinda as she strives to change her life from a “mere sentence or two” to a true epic.
Based on the world they previously introduced in Clockwork Angels , Kevin J. Anderson and Neil Peart take the graphic novel to new heights with this adaptation of the best-selling book Clockwork Lives .
176 pages, Hardcover
Published June 26, 2018
4 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Kevin J. Anderson
1,038 books3,110 followersYes, I have a lot of books, and if this is your first visit to my amazon author page, it can be a little overwhelming. If you are new to my work, let me recommend a few titles as good places to start. I love my Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. series, humorous horror/mysteries, which begin with DEATH WARMED OVER. My steampunk fantasy adventures, CLOCKWORK ANGELS and CLOCKWORK LIVES, written with Neil Peart, legendary drummer from Rush, are two of my very favorite novels ever. And my magnum opus, the science fiction epic The Saga of Seven Suns, begins with HIDDEN EMPIRE. After you've tried those, I hope you'll check out some of my other series.
I have written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and I'm the co-author of the Dune prequels. My original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity. I have also written several comic books including the Dark Horse Star Wars collection Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Predator titles (also for Dark Horse), and X-Files titles for Topps.
I serve as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest.
My wife is author Rebecca Moesta. We currently reside near Monument, Colorado.
I have written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and I'm the co-author of the Dune prequels. My original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity. I have also written several comic books including the Dark Horse Star Wars collection Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Predator titles (also for Dark Horse), and X-Files titles for Topps.
I serve as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest.
My wife is author Rebecca Moesta. We currently reside near Monument, Colorado.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 1, 2019
This is a followup to the Clockwork Angels graphic novel, but, as far as I can tell, it's not necessary to have read it to enjoy Clockwork Lives. And I should know, since I haven't. In fact, despite considering myself a Rush fan, I haven't even listened to the Clockwork Angels album. One of these days … In my defense, I was a huge fan of the band back in high school, then got interested in other bands, and have only recently returned to the fold. So any Rush from around 1990 or so up until the recent R40 tour is largely a mystery to me. I'm working on it …
In any case, the original novel (and graphic novel) of Clockwork Angels was successful enough, that Anderson and Peart decided to write a sequel, this time bypassing the concept album stage and going directly to prose. And so we come to the graphic novel adaptation of that sequel ...
Marinda Peake’s father dies, and she finds that, in order to inherit his estate, she must fill a blank journal with people's stories. Because of the alchemical nature of the book, all she needs is a drop of someone's blood, and their story will be written. Of course some people's stories are longer and more interesting than others, and she realizes that, in order to fill the book quickly, she needs to find people who have led interesting lives, which means traveling the land in search of them. Perhaps her father is posthumously trying to teach her something?
That all sounds more clunky than it is. The tale is an engaging one, and the steampunk world imagined by Peart and Anderson is all kinds of fun. I don't know how this book compares to the original novel, but it reads well enough. The art is decent, if unspectacular.
If you're a Rush fan … well, if you're a Rush fan you're probably going to want to read this regardless of anything I have to say about it. But anyway, if you're a fan, there are a number of references to various albums and songs. There's a ship called Rocinante, a Fountain of Lamneth, a necromancer’s tower, a reference to By-Tor and the Snow Dog, the owl from the cover of Fly By Night puts in an appearance, etc. Catching these references is not essential to the enjoyment of the book, but it is fun.
All in all, this was enjoyable, a fairly decent steampunk graphic novel. It's perhaps not for everyone, but do check it out if it sounds interesting.
In any case, the original novel (and graphic novel) of Clockwork Angels was successful enough, that Anderson and Peart decided to write a sequel, this time bypassing the concept album stage and going directly to prose. And so we come to the graphic novel adaptation of that sequel ...
Marinda Peake’s father dies, and she finds that, in order to inherit his estate, she must fill a blank journal with people's stories. Because of the alchemical nature of the book, all she needs is a drop of someone's blood, and their story will be written. Of course some people's stories are longer and more interesting than others, and she realizes that, in order to fill the book quickly, she needs to find people who have led interesting lives, which means traveling the land in search of them. Perhaps her father is posthumously trying to teach her something?
That all sounds more clunky than it is. The tale is an engaging one, and the steampunk world imagined by Peart and Anderson is all kinds of fun. I don't know how this book compares to the original novel, but it reads well enough. The art is decent, if unspectacular.
If you're a Rush fan … well, if you're a Rush fan you're probably going to want to read this regardless of anything I have to say about it. But anyway, if you're a fan, there are a number of references to various albums and songs. There's a ship called Rocinante, a Fountain of Lamneth, a necromancer’s tower, a reference to By-Tor and the Snow Dog, the owl from the cover of Fly By Night puts in an appearance, etc. Catching these references is not essential to the enjoyment of the book, but it is fun.
All in all, this was enjoyable, a fairly decent steampunk graphic novel. It's perhaps not for everyone, but do check it out if it sounds interesting.
July 10, 2018
Well, I gave the 'Clockwork Lives' novel 5-stars when I read it so 'Clockwork Lives' with artwork deserves the same.
Seriously though, I think Neil's tales of the land of Albion from the 'Clockwork Angels' album & two novels is my favorite of all his works related to Rush.
Seriously though, I think Neil's tales of the land of Albion from the 'Clockwork Angels' album & two novels is my favorite of all his works related to Rush.
September 2, 2018
This is quite a different reading experience, one I quite liked. Some parts of the story could have delved deeper into the character, but since it's an adaptation of a novel, I understand why maybe they didn't put all the details in this version. Then again, I haven't read the original novel, so I'm not sure exactly what's different in this version of the novel. This is still a marvelous journey and quite different from what I expected. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is just because I wish they would have delved deeper into certain stories (such as the anarchist's and the watchmaker's), but I also understand that they would've had to make the series longer (not necessarily a bad thing...) and maybe they just wanted to make the one volume... but I digress... great graphic novel and recommended for something refreshing.
May 1, 2019
Great artwork and graphics and fascinating story concept. Loved immersing myself in a graphic novel. Interesting characters and depth and meaning in the stories.
April 15, 2019
I borrowed this great graphic novel from the library, but it's one I'll be on the lookout for to add to my shelves. This is an adaptation of the book 'Clockwork Lives', also by Anderson and Peart, which I also need to get my hands on. Their 'Clockwork Angels' was a favourite read of mine a few years ago and this graphic novel is set in the same steampunk world as that one.
'Clockwork Lives' is a collection of stories within a story and I really liked the way that each story was given to a different artist to bring to life. The stories are gathered together by the main character in the book, Marinda Peake, a task she was given by her late father in his will. Unless she fills a magical blank book he left her with stories then she will not be able to receive her inheritance. The gathering of these stories takes her to places she never imagined she would ever visit. Without giving anything else away, this is one worth checking out, especially if you have read any of the other 'Clockwork' bookstore even if you are a fan of Peart's band, Rush.
'Clockwork Lives' is a collection of stories within a story and I really liked the way that each story was given to a different artist to bring to life. The stories are gathered together by the main character in the book, Marinda Peake, a task she was given by her late father in his will. Unless she fills a magical blank book he left her with stories then she will not be able to receive her inheritance. The gathering of these stories takes her to places she never imagined she would ever visit. Without giving anything else away, this is one worth checking out, especially if you have read any of the other 'Clockwork' bookstore even if you are a fan of Peart's band, Rush.
August 17, 2018
1. This is my first steampunk style graphic novel
2. I still haven’t gotten around to reading Clockwork Angels
3. This was still an extremely enjoyable book.
The novel is composed of multiple stories so there is probably one or two stories that will appeal greatly to anyone. This novel also expands the steampunk world for those who aren’t quite sure what to expect.
If you enjoyed the original Clockwork stories, this might enjoy this one.
2. I still haven’t gotten around to reading Clockwork Angels
3. This was still an extremely enjoyable book.
The novel is composed of multiple stories so there is probably one or two stories that will appeal greatly to anyone. This novel also expands the steampunk world for those who aren’t quite sure what to expect.
If you enjoyed the original Clockwork stories, this might enjoy this one.
July 8, 2018
Typical hero's journey tale, beautiful artwork. A welcome diversion.
December 17, 2018
It was fun to return to the world introduced in Clockwork Angels. There are enough Easter eggs and references to make even the smallest Rush geek giddy.
January 16, 2023
It's enjoyable. The book is more of an anthology of stories so it was easy to pick up and put down. It didn't move me but was good for some escapism before bed.
January 12, 2025
It is a mind-expanding book, in the sense that while we can often make a good living, being comfortable in our rented or mortgaged houses, with good food, and plenty of simple diversions, such experiences don't make good stories. I've just summed up most of them. I don't discount the power of family and love, but those can be had anywhere. I traveled the USA three times on a bicycle, and my brief sojourns on the road, working for a carnival that was a community of travelers, misfits, and family, or working in a bronze foundry that was part of a larger, familial community, showed me that. This book reminds me of my brief travels where I was part of a tribe, a culture, or a family. It is full of stories, of people who tell stories, those who hear them, and those who write them. Some stories are not real, but our own story - that is real when truthfully told. Will it be long and exciting? Or will it be short?
I work or worked hard. I have enough to eat. I have a comfortable place to sleep. I read or watch stories. I drink the juices of fruits or the extracts of roasted leaves or beans - some fermented, some not. I buy, I sell. Sometimes I travel, in luxury, for brief days or weeks, but mostly I do not. I learn very little and experience little from such short "vacations" in other places. That is painfully short. It is a clockwork life. It is good. But, is it a story?
I work or worked hard. I have enough to eat. I have a comfortable place to sleep. I read or watch stories. I drink the juices of fruits or the extracts of roasted leaves or beans - some fermented, some not. I buy, I sell. Sometimes I travel, in luxury, for brief days or weeks, but mostly I do not. I learn very little and experience little from such short "vacations" in other places. That is painfully short. It is a clockwork life. It is good. But, is it a story?
March 11, 2023
I know nothing about Rush or Clockwork Lives so this is just a random comic book to me that I read for a challenge. I did enjoy comics when I was a kid but I grew out of them, so challenging this definitely was. I'm sure it's a very good one of it's kind but this type of media does not attract me at all.
Marinda Peake is a woman with a quiet, perfect life in a small village; she long ago gave up on her dreams and ambitions in order to take care of her ailing father, an alchemist and inventor. When he dies, he gives Marinda a mysterious gift: a blank book that she must fill with other people's stories - and ultimately her own.
CLOCKWORK LIVES is a steampunk CANTERBURY TALES that follows Marinda as she strives to change her life from a "mere sentence or two" to a true epic.
Marinda Peake is a woman with a quiet, perfect life in a small village; she long ago gave up on her dreams and ambitions in order to take care of her ailing father, an alchemist and inventor. When he dies, he gives Marinda a mysterious gift: a blank book that she must fill with other people's stories - and ultimately her own.
CLOCKWORK LIVES is a steampunk CANTERBURY TALES that follows Marinda as she strives to change her life from a "mere sentence or two" to a true epic.
December 3, 2024
Clockwork Lives: The Graphic Novel is a graphic novel written by Kevin J. Anderson and Neil Peart (the drummer from the band Rush. It is a follow up to the 2013 album Clockwork Angels and its accompanying graphic novel.
The main story follows a woman named Marinda Peake, who is bequeathed her father’s special alchemy book after his death. It records people’s lives when their blood touches its pages. She is tasked with filling the book with interesting stories, and so she must venture away from her comfortable little Lugtown.
Marinda is very hobbit-like. She's lived her ordinary life in Lugtown, enjoying the monotony of her life far from the great goings-on in the author's steampunk world. Although Marinda does engage in several adventures, most of the action comes from what the stories reveal of their tellers’ lives.
I felt like this was supposed to be a sort of a steampunk Canterbury Tales, but ultimately fell short. The individual stories that make up the book are entertaining, and I can see how they could be woven together to make a more impressive whole, but it just never really pulls it off.
"Clockwork Lives" is ultimately a story about stories. With twelve different tales, richly illustrated and wrapped up in a steampunk package, Clockwork Lives is a delightful read. If you plan to read this, you should pick up the hardbound version. It’s beautifully presented and utterly gorgeous.
The main story follows a woman named Marinda Peake, who is bequeathed her father’s special alchemy book after his death. It records people’s lives when their blood touches its pages. She is tasked with filling the book with interesting stories, and so she must venture away from her comfortable little Lugtown.
Marinda is very hobbit-like. She's lived her ordinary life in Lugtown, enjoying the monotony of her life far from the great goings-on in the author's steampunk world. Although Marinda does engage in several adventures, most of the action comes from what the stories reveal of their tellers’ lives.
I felt like this was supposed to be a sort of a steampunk Canterbury Tales, but ultimately fell short. The individual stories that make up the book are entertaining, and I can see how they could be woven together to make a more impressive whole, but it just never really pulls it off.
"Clockwork Lives" is ultimately a story about stories. With twelve different tales, richly illustrated and wrapped up in a steampunk package, Clockwork Lives is a delightful read. If you plan to read this, you should pick up the hardbound version. It’s beautifully presented and utterly gorgeous.
August 26, 2023
3.5 stars. Interesting premise, along with the story leading up to its creation, but the main storyline and protagonist seemed less than compelling than the individual stories that were presented. I also liked that each story was intentionally illustrated by a different artist.
December 22, 2024
Some lives are summed up in a sentence or two and others are epics. That is this book from the creative mind of Neil Peart and Kevin Anderson. A graphic novel for children of all ages. All is for the best. This is exactly what this book is about. Well done.
January 24, 2020
This is a sequel (prequel... midquel?) to Clockwork Angels: The Graphic Novel and it shares, more or less, the same highs and lows as its companion (see my review).
First the negatives: as before, the graphic novel feels a bit condensed and so, some of the narrative is slightly tricky to follow. For example, there are two pages that I think may be printed in the wrong order. The fact that I only think they are in the wrong order and don't know for sure shows my confusion with the narrative. Also, one of the protagonists has a hand that seems to appear and disappear - it seems the artist sometimes forgot the character was only supposed to have one hand.
The positives: generally outweigh the negatives. I really liked the way the different stories had different artists; different lives, different artists really worked. And the artwork was less fussy than Clockwork Angels: The Graphic Novel and all the more enjoyable for it. As before, the frequent quoting of Rush lyrics did not feel as intrusive as it did in the novel. The numerous visual references were easy to spot and felt fun rather than forced.
Perhaps still not a full blown four stars but a good 3.75!
"Some lives can be summed up in a sentence or two. Other lives are epics."
I can't finish this review, however, without acknowledging the passing of Neil Peart. His life truly was "epic".
First the negatives: as before, the graphic novel feels a bit condensed and so, some of the narrative is slightly tricky to follow. For example, there are two pages that I think may be printed in the wrong order. The fact that I only think they are in the wrong order and don't know for sure shows my confusion with the narrative. Also, one of the protagonists has a hand that seems to appear and disappear - it seems the artist sometimes forgot the character was only supposed to have one hand.
The positives: generally outweigh the negatives. I really liked the way the different stories had different artists; different lives, different artists really worked. And the artwork was less fussy than Clockwork Angels: The Graphic Novel and all the more enjoyable for it. As before, the frequent quoting of Rush lyrics did not feel as intrusive as it did in the novel. The numerous visual references were easy to spot and felt fun rather than forced.
Perhaps still not a full blown four stars but a good 3.75!
"Some lives can be summed up in a sentence or two. Other lives are epics."
I can't finish this review, however, without acknowledging the passing of Neil Peart. His life truly was "epic".
January 3, 2019
A very fun story, but falls prey to a lot of the standard tropes of steampunk. Very few POC, and none with lines, and the romances were disappointingly het. About what one would expect from a legend of dad-rock. That said, an interesting world to explore, and some very fun characters.
June 12, 2021
Book Nerd Your Way 2021... Book #25
I wasn't too sure about this one when I picked it up, but it turned out to be a really good book. The artwork was amazing and the story was brilliant. Remember to live your live to the fullest, you only get one.
I wasn't too sure about this one when I picked it up, but it turned out to be a really good book. The artwork was amazing and the story was brilliant. Remember to live your live to the fullest, you only get one.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews