Book Giveaway: Cuttlefish by Dave Freer

It’s giveaway season at the Steampunk Librarian! We start with an undersea tale.

 

Cuttlefish by Dave Freer

http://www.pyrsf.com/Cuttlefish.html

  

It is 1976 and the British Empire is still going full steam, along with the Industrial Revolution and the resulting environmental effects. Much of the world is drowned, including London. Under the canals, however, a rebel society is gaining strength. Meanwhile, a scientist and her young daughter are on the run from the law, due to a new discovery which just might change energy production. As a result, Clara Calland (the daughter) and Tim Barnabas (from the underwater London society) find themselves aboard the Cuttlefish, a coal-powered smuggling submarine. Tim just wants a job, and Clara just wants to know what’s going on.

 

Cuttlefish, the first in a series of stories from Dave Freer, is a fast-paced sailor yarn in one sense and a steampunk novel in another. Clara is smart, opinionated, and confused by the adults in her life; Tim is quiet and trying to get by in a world where racism is still alive and well. The story is told alternately by the two, showing both sides of the cultural divide in their society.

 

The biggest character in the story, however, is the Cuttlefish itself. With so many dirigibles in steampunk storylines, it’s refreshing to go back underwater and explore the claustrophobic, silent world of submarine transportation. Mechanical details abound, and the hide-and-seek maneuvers are described excellently as the Cuttlefish does its best to outwit its pursuers and deliver the Callands to safety.

 

 

We have two – two! – copies of Cuttlefish to give away. One is an advanced reader copy and one is the final published edition. In order to enter the giveaway, post a comment below and tell us where you would go in a submarine and why. Travel? Exploration? Devious motives? Explain! You can enter until Friday, August 31st; we’ll hold the drawing soon after and post the results.

Comments

[Ricky Brown]

Descending the depths of the Great Lakes in a submersible to explore many of the historical shipwrecks could inspire endless adventures, the likes to impress even Captain Nemo.

[Alden Ash]

It is the only way to get to my secret lair where I plot with my minions to take over the world and get the girl.

[Cassandra]

Are we allowed to be nonsensical in our answers? If so, I would commission a submarine to explore the Moon's Sea of Serenity. Why? To find serenity, of course! I am on a seemingly endless quest for serenity. Maybe it lies there?

I hope I find a competent submarine captain, as I do want to avoid the Moon's Sea of Crisis and, of course, its Sea of Fertility. It would be ok if we took a quick dive into the Sea of Nectar, though.

Thanks! Cassandra

[Tschet]

Sounds like a great book.
I'd go to the bottom of Lake Chelan in Washington State. It's 50+ miles long and very, very deep. I'd go there out of Just plain curiosity.

[Rebecca]

I'd go and search for Atlantis oh via the Great Barrier Reef of course - probably pop past and check out the Titanic while I'm there too!

[Renee G]

I would take my submarine and explore the underwater sculptures of Jason deCairestaylor. I just saw some pictures of his work and now I want to see them all.
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com

[AHMSI complaints]

This is definitely a very interesting topic to discuss. This is great take on sea adventure in the 1900s. I like the steampunk flare. Keep up the great work!

[Robert Behlke]

I'd travel along the cannels of Mars, simply because they, and we all know which they I'm talking about, don't want us to know that they're actually up there.

[Prof. Moniker]

Why I would travel to Atlantis, of course. Have a cup of tea with the Altantians and bring back some of the fabled oricalcum to power my tinkerings.

[Seanna]

I would take the submarine to Loch Ness, to find Nessie!

[Page Turner]

A fair wind speeds our schooner-rigged sailing-submersible south from Bermuda, but soon we will lower our sails and fold the masts in their tabernacle mounts as we prepare to dive deep into the fabled Triangle in search of answers to ancient mysteries. With our submersible’s tireless gills and electric motors powered by batteries now fully charged by the windmills atop our mastheads, my plucky crew is prepared to see this task to a successful conclusion!