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Ironshield Chronicles #3
Old Bolts
"Old Bolts" takes place alongside events in "Ironshield."
A Memory of Iron...
The Arkenian Civil War is over.
Diesel-fueled Warsuits and the Kaizer Engines that power them have been outlawed. Machines which once won freedom for a new nation now lie in pieces, demolished and left to rust.
One man can't let go.
For over a year, Viktor and his team of mechanics have survived, cold and hungry in the frigid mountains of Northern Arkenia. In exile, cut off from the world, they hold vigil over a last remaining vestige of the nation’s history. A Kaizer Warsuit they name Old Bolts.
But when a little boy wanders close to their strange dwelling, Viktor learns that the mountains have become home to a new mining settlement.
Where the residents are not allowed to leave.
Now Viktor must decide. Decide whether to help the miners of Talbrigdon and risk exposing not only his men, but Old Bolts. Or whether to hold firm to his duty and protect this symbol of liberty from destruction. As things become more dire for both his people and the miners, a deeper secret haunts Viktor.
One that could tear Old Bolts and her crew apart.
A Memory of Iron...
The Arkenian Civil War is over.
Diesel-fueled Warsuits and the Kaizer Engines that power them have been outlawed. Machines which once won freedom for a new nation now lie in pieces, demolished and left to rust.
One man can't let go.
For over a year, Viktor and his team of mechanics have survived, cold and hungry in the frigid mountains of Northern Arkenia. In exile, cut off from the world, they hold vigil over a last remaining vestige of the nation’s history. A Kaizer Warsuit they name Old Bolts.
But when a little boy wanders close to their strange dwelling, Viktor learns that the mountains have become home to a new mining settlement.
Where the residents are not allowed to leave.
Now Viktor must decide. Decide whether to help the miners of Talbrigdon and risk exposing not only his men, but Old Bolts. Or whether to hold firm to his duty and protect this symbol of liberty from destruction. As things become more dire for both his people and the miners, a deeper secret haunts Viktor.
One that could tear Old Bolts and her crew apart.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 11, 2020
3 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 2, 2021
Note: I wrote this review for the 2021/2022 SPFBO competition - this book was both my favourite of my batch, and the books put forward by the rest of The Fantasy Inn judging team.
Have you ever read a dieselpunk mech story with elements of the survival, western and war genres? Because I certainly hadn’t before I read Old Bolts.
Viktor is the leader of the crew of the last Warsuit, the eponymous Old Bolts, a giant hulking relic they affectionately call Olby. For over a year they’ve lived hidden in exile in the frozen woods of the north, preserving the great machine from being dismantled after their loss in a civil war. It’s clear that these men are the end of their rope – living with only the Warsuit for shelter, rations close to running out, frostbitten and perhaps just a little bit mad. The early parts of this novel hold the most prominent survival elements, and it built a convincing atmosphere.
Everything changes when a boy stumbles upon their camp, and they realise that a town has sprung up where one wasn’t before – an isolated mining village where no one is allowed to leave. At this point things start to twist more to a western style plot, with Viktor beginning to feel like he must help the trapped people of the village, despite the fact that it could very likely lead to the discovery of Olby, demolishing the very reason for their self imposed exile. It’s not a decision taken lightly, and secrets and injuries of the past threaten to tear the group apart.
The book lost me a little when it tried to explain the geopolitical situation – it was quite complicated, and for the most part had very little impact on the plot. This book is a side story in a larger series, and this is the one place it shows. While the depth of the world does give extra flavour, too much is explained without enough context for me to get a handle on it.
The book balances a lot of slower, more introspective moments with bursts of action, and for the most part it does this well. I do think that sometimes the characters’ reactions and micro-actions felt a little bit off, but overall it wasn’t too detrimental to my enjoyment.
The final act is an intense action sequence that had me on the edge of my seat. I found there was a good mix of grounded elements and more over the top bombast that really pulled in me. The villains are two dimensional, but I can forgive that, given that Viktor’s inner journey is the main focus of the narrative.
There’s something uniquely satisfying about finding a book that tries to do something a bit different and succeeds at it. Old Bolts is at different parts heartfelt, atmospheric, tense and explosive, and if that sounds like something you’d enjoy, I’d heartily recommend it.
For reviews like this and more, visit my blog
Have you ever read a dieselpunk mech story with elements of the survival, western and war genres? Because I certainly hadn’t before I read Old Bolts.
Viktor is the leader of the crew of the last Warsuit, the eponymous Old Bolts, a giant hulking relic they affectionately call Olby. For over a year they’ve lived hidden in exile in the frozen woods of the north, preserving the great machine from being dismantled after their loss in a civil war. It’s clear that these men are the end of their rope – living with only the Warsuit for shelter, rations close to running out, frostbitten and perhaps just a little bit mad. The early parts of this novel hold the most prominent survival elements, and it built a convincing atmosphere.
Everything changes when a boy stumbles upon their camp, and they realise that a town has sprung up where one wasn’t before – an isolated mining village where no one is allowed to leave. At this point things start to twist more to a western style plot, with Viktor beginning to feel like he must help the trapped people of the village, despite the fact that it could very likely lead to the discovery of Olby, demolishing the very reason for their self imposed exile. It’s not a decision taken lightly, and secrets and injuries of the past threaten to tear the group apart.
The book lost me a little when it tried to explain the geopolitical situation – it was quite complicated, and for the most part had very little impact on the plot. This book is a side story in a larger series, and this is the one place it shows. While the depth of the world does give extra flavour, too much is explained without enough context for me to get a handle on it.
The book balances a lot of slower, more introspective moments with bursts of action, and for the most part it does this well. I do think that sometimes the characters’ reactions and micro-actions felt a little bit off, but overall it wasn’t too detrimental to my enjoyment.
The final act is an intense action sequence that had me on the edge of my seat. I found there was a good mix of grounded elements and more over the top bombast that really pulled in me. The villains are two dimensional, but I can forgive that, given that Viktor’s inner journey is the main focus of the narrative.
There’s something uniquely satisfying about finding a book that tries to do something a bit different and succeeds at it. Old Bolts is at different parts heartfelt, atmospheric, tense and explosive, and if that sounds like something you’d enjoy, I’d heartily recommend it.
For reviews like this and more, visit my blog
January 29, 2023
AR: 7/10
Old Bolts is a compelling novel with the unique premise of old warsuits that require multiple pilots, one in each limb and one in the head to coordinate the others. It's something like "Power Rangers: Megazords meets Siberian Gulags", and if that seems like an odd pairing, you'd be right if not for the fact that it works so well. Lest you go into this thinking this is going to be a campy romp, the tone the novel strikes is much grimmer and more serious than the 90s series. This is apparent from the outset—over-the-top robot battles are not in store. Rather, we're treated to a personal exploration of characters in exile who have been guarding the oldest warsuit for a year, stuck in the icy tundra, freezing and starving all the while.
The prose of the book is well-written, and the characters are well-developed, adding depth and emotion to the story. The plot takes a surprising turn when the main character is captured and taken to a prison town, which is depicted in great detail and feels well-informed by the real-world history of prison camps in Soviet Russia. The worldbuilding in the book is exceptional, creating an original setting that blends these dystopian post-war elements with themes that hearken to the American Revolution, albeit with the addition of giant mechs, not to mention crushing defeat for the forces fighting for liberation.
Although this is a standalone story, the book often includes elements from the larger series, and while I appreciate the obvious level of effort and thought that went into building this world, at times those passages feel disconnected from the story of Old Bolts. If you're already invested in The Ironshield Saga, I imagine these are welcome additions. But for me, it just felt like I was missing some context and that I would have enjoyed the story more if I had read the author's other work first.
Apart from that, I have a few other quibbles, one being the decision-making the protagonist makes upon reaching the prison town not entirely convincing me. At times it felt like he was making the correct moral decision for the sake of moving the story along rather than it being grounded in his character. There was also a chapter that introduced the idea of the character succumbing to madness that didn't really seem to go anywhere, and I felt it could have either been cut or further explored. At only 57,000 words, the story certainly has some room to grow.
I also didn't love the villains of this story, one of whom I once again felt I would have appreciated more if I had read the other book in the series first. As a standalone, it feels like this person pops up out of nowhere.
However, these are just quibbles and may not bother many readers. Despite them, Old Bolts is a well-written novel with great worldbuilding and characters. The unique premise and emotional prose make it a strong contender in the SPSFC2 competition, and one that I hope more people pick up. Edward Nile is certainly an author to keep an eye on.
Old Bolts is a compelling novel with the unique premise of old warsuits that require multiple pilots, one in each limb and one in the head to coordinate the others. It's something like "Power Rangers: Megazords meets Siberian Gulags", and if that seems like an odd pairing, you'd be right if not for the fact that it works so well. Lest you go into this thinking this is going to be a campy romp, the tone the novel strikes is much grimmer and more serious than the 90s series. This is apparent from the outset—over-the-top robot battles are not in store. Rather, we're treated to a personal exploration of characters in exile who have been guarding the oldest warsuit for a year, stuck in the icy tundra, freezing and starving all the while.
The prose of the book is well-written, and the characters are well-developed, adding depth and emotion to the story. The plot takes a surprising turn when the main character is captured and taken to a prison town, which is depicted in great detail and feels well-informed by the real-world history of prison camps in Soviet Russia. The worldbuilding in the book is exceptional, creating an original setting that blends these dystopian post-war elements with themes that hearken to the American Revolution, albeit with the addition of giant mechs, not to mention crushing defeat for the forces fighting for liberation.
Although this is a standalone story, the book often includes elements from the larger series, and while I appreciate the obvious level of effort and thought that went into building this world, at times those passages feel disconnected from the story of Old Bolts. If you're already invested in The Ironshield Saga, I imagine these are welcome additions. But for me, it just felt like I was missing some context and that I would have enjoyed the story more if I had read the author's other work first.
Apart from that, I have a few other quibbles, one being the decision-making the protagonist makes upon reaching the prison town not entirely convincing me. At times it felt like he was making the correct moral decision for the sake of moving the story along rather than it being grounded in his character. There was also a chapter that introduced the idea of the character succumbing to madness that didn't really seem to go anywhere, and I felt it could have either been cut or further explored. At only 57,000 words, the story certainly has some room to grow.
I also didn't love the villains of this story, one of whom I once again felt I would have appreciated more if I had read the other book in the series first. As a standalone, it feels like this person pops up out of nowhere.
However, these are just quibbles and may not bother many readers. Despite them, Old Bolts is a well-written novel with great worldbuilding and characters. The unique premise and emotional prose make it a strong contender in the SPSFC2 competition, and one that I hope more people pick up. Edward Nile is certainly an author to keep an eye on.
January 27, 2023
I really liked the premise of this - an old band of soldiers hiding in the mountains keeping their giant mech (affectionately known as Oby) safe from the black enemy. They have had no news from or contact with the outside world for the last year.
There are some really great descriptions about the lives of a small group of people living together in close quarters for a long time in isolation. For example, both Viktor and Reimer have mental breakdowns and struggle to deal with the isolation and leaving their families that were really well written.
The plot moves quickly (especially as this book is only around 250 pages), and kept me interested throughout.
While I enjoyed this it didn't quite live up to my expectations - while I loved the depth to the world, at times this was confusing and not necessary to the story. Also a lot seemed to have happened in the year that the crew have been in hiding with Oby - a whole town has been built and established!
I would have liked to learn more about each of the characters - we spend most of the time with Viktor, and I would have liked to get to know more about the other members of the team as they blended together a little.
The villain also feels a bit too much like a stereotypical evil villain, and I'll be honest - I'm really tired of sexual assault and rape in fantasy and sci-fi worlds...
There are some really great descriptions about the lives of a small group of people living together in close quarters for a long time in isolation. For example, both Viktor and Reimer have mental breakdowns and struggle to deal with the isolation and leaving their families that were really well written.
The plot moves quickly (especially as this book is only around 250 pages), and kept me interested throughout.
While I enjoyed this it didn't quite live up to my expectations - while I loved the depth to the world, at times this was confusing and not necessary to the story. Also a lot seemed to have happened in the year that the crew have been in hiding with Oby - a whole town has been built and established!
I would have liked to learn more about each of the characters - we spend most of the time with Viktor, and I would have liked to get to know more about the other members of the team as they blended together a little.
The villain also feels a bit too much like a stereotypical evil villain, and I'll be honest - I'm really tired of sexual assault and rape in fantasy and sci-fi worlds...
May 12, 2022
A good read
Although it was short of was certainly a good read. One of the better dieselpunk books out there with an interesting world being built. I had a few minor gripes that prevented a 5star review but nothing that would stop me from recommending.
Although it was short of was certainly a good read. One of the better dieselpunk books out there with an interesting world being built. I had a few minor gripes that prevented a 5star review but nothing that would stop me from recommending.
Read
December 17, 2022I haven’t previously read anything by this author, so I came into Old Bolts purely because the cover and blurb caught my attention.
Overall, the book was an easy and entertaining read. The prose was tidy, with just a few typos that I noticed. I enjoyed learning how Old Bolts was operated, which needed a coordinated human team. (Not being a big reader of giant mecha stories, I had vaguely imagined a single driver pressing buttons and pulling levers, but this one wasn’t set up that way). There were references to the background conflict which presumably is addressed more explicitly in other books. Here, it gave me an impression of a wider world.
The story itself was fairly straightforward, with no great surprises. There were a few “logistical” issues that made me pause, regarding the situation and eg how come nobody noticed, or how had they carried on like that for so long, but they didn’t significantly trip me up.
Overall, a fun dieselpunk adventure in an intriguing world.
Overall, the book was an easy and entertaining read. The prose was tidy, with just a few typos that I noticed. I enjoyed learning how Old Bolts was operated, which needed a coordinated human team. (Not being a big reader of giant mecha stories, I had vaguely imagined a single driver pressing buttons and pulling levers, but this one wasn’t set up that way). There were references to the background conflict which presumably is addressed more explicitly in other books. Here, it gave me an impression of a wider world.
The story itself was fairly straightforward, with no great surprises. There were a few “logistical” issues that made me pause, regarding the situation and eg how come nobody noticed, or how had they carried on like that for so long, but they didn’t significantly trip me up.
Overall, a fun dieselpunk adventure in an intriguing world.
December 23, 2022
I enjoyed this. I don't normally read in this genre.
There was a fair bit of language, it was gory in places, and adult themes came up from time to time. But I like a bit of grit in the atmosphere sometimes.
There was a fair bit of language, it was gory in places, and adult themes came up from time to time. But I like a bit of grit in the atmosphere sometimes.
January 23, 2021
Short. Tiny, actually, but so much fun.
Read
January 29, 20231/29/2023
I'll leave the initial review I placed at the launch of this novel at the bottom, but here's my update on Old Bolts and the Ironshield Saga as a whole:
If you've tried to buy "Ironshield" or "Iron Wrath" recently, you might have noticed they are un-published on Amazon. This is intentional, as for a number of reasons I've decided to re-launch these books under a different series name with updated edits, covers, and titles. Among other things this will allow "Old Bolts" to be rolled into the newly minted series "The Ironshield Chronicles" as a numbered volume rather than a side novel.
Currently "Old Bolts" is still available as it is part of the SPSFC (Self-Published Science Fiction Competition). However, before April I will need to un-publish this book as well and re-release it under its updated title, "Iron Exiles." The book will remain otherwise completely the same story, with only a light editing pass otherwise. As this will make it book three of the Ironshield Chronicles rather than the stand-alone it currently is, I do not know how my status in the competition will be affected. This is, however, a decision I had to make, and if you want more details you can look at the update I placed in the review for "Ironshield." I will also put up a blog post as well with the same information.
Thank you for all the kind reviews, and I hope some of you who have not read "Ironshield" yet will take a look during the relaunch. Book one, "Iron Strife," comes out in February 2023.
Original review from the release:
Hello!
"Old Bolts" was one of those stories I knew early on I just had to write. Serving as a standalone novel as well as a sort of bridge book between the first and second volumes of "The Ironshield Saga" this little book will remain near and dear to me. It being a semi-finalist in SPFBO was also an honor.
For those jumping in with this book, I hope you enjoy it. If you want more from the world "Old Bolts" is set in, you can find the first book of this series "Ironshield" here on my goodreads profile.
There is also a page for the second main entry in the series, "Iron Wrath," which is slated for release this May!
Happy reading, and thank you.
-Ed
I'll leave the initial review I placed at the launch of this novel at the bottom, but here's my update on Old Bolts and the Ironshield Saga as a whole:
If you've tried to buy "Ironshield" or "Iron Wrath" recently, you might have noticed they are un-published on Amazon. This is intentional, as for a number of reasons I've decided to re-launch these books under a different series name with updated edits, covers, and titles. Among other things this will allow "Old Bolts" to be rolled into the newly minted series "The Ironshield Chronicles" as a numbered volume rather than a side novel.
Currently "Old Bolts" is still available as it is part of the SPSFC (Self-Published Science Fiction Competition). However, before April I will need to un-publish this book as well and re-release it under its updated title, "Iron Exiles." The book will remain otherwise completely the same story, with only a light editing pass otherwise. As this will make it book three of the Ironshield Chronicles rather than the stand-alone it currently is, I do not know how my status in the competition will be affected. This is, however, a decision I had to make, and if you want more details you can look at the update I placed in the review for "Ironshield." I will also put up a blog post as well with the same information.
Thank you for all the kind reviews, and I hope some of you who have not read "Ironshield" yet will take a look during the relaunch. Book one, "Iron Strife," comes out in February 2023.
Original review from the release:
Hello!
"Old Bolts" was one of those stories I knew early on I just had to write. Serving as a standalone novel as well as a sort of bridge book between the first and second volumes of "The Ironshield Saga" this little book will remain near and dear to me. It being a semi-finalist in SPFBO was also an honor.
For those jumping in with this book, I hope you enjoy it. If you want more from the world "Old Bolts" is set in, you can find the first book of this series "Ironshield" here on my goodreads profile.
There is also a page for the second main entry in the series, "Iron Wrath," which is slated for release this May!
Happy reading, and thank you.
-Ed
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews