Dead Iron
Age of Steam #1
Written: Devon Monk [website]
Published: July 1, 2011
Publisher: Roc
ISBN: 9780451463968
Obtained via: Author
Blurb:
Welcome to a new America that is built on blood, sweat, and gears…
In steam age America, men, monsters, machines, and magic battle for the same scrap of earth and sky. In this chaos, bounty hunter Cedar Hunt rides, cursed by lycanthropy and carrying the guilt of his brother’s death. Then he’s offered hope that his brother may yet survive. All he has to do is find the Holder: a powerful device created by mad devisers-and now in the hands of an ancient Strange who was banished to walk this Earth.
In a land shaped by magic, steam, and iron, where the only things a man can count on are his guns, gears, and grit, Cedar will have to depend on all three if he’s going to save his brother and reclaim his soul once and for all…
My Review:
This book is the steam punk story I’ve been waiting for since my husband forced me to watch Full-Metal Alchemist. Lots of authors seem to think that if only they throw a couple of gears into the story that it will qualify as steam punk. Dead Iron, though, is the only story I’ve found that manages that same creepy, brass-plated, “playing with powers beyond mortal ken” kind of feel that FMA had. But it is the human elements of both stories that call to me: among the steam-powered robots and creepy alchemical creatures is a tale of sorrow, loss, and love. Of course, there are also some kick-ass fight scenes and incredibly funny moments, too.
With werewolves, witches, fey creatures, steam punk robots, and railroad tycoons all mixing it up in the Old West, one would think that the story would be jumbled with too many disparate elements. It isn’t. I don’t know how the author does it, but she does it well. If you are of the inclination that Dead Iron might be a fluke – you need to read her short story collection, A Cup of Normal. Monk does strange as naturally as breathing, and just as practiced. The only disappointment I have with the story is that there wasn’t another 3,000 or so pages of it. I can’t wait for the next volume so I can see what happens next!
Rating: 
Kiara
Kiara possesses a dry wit, a sharp sarcasm, and a towering intellect. Her secret alter ego has a boring™ day job, but at night she writes and reviews speculative fiction. She carries the keys to dozens of hearts in her pockets and jumps puddles in a single bound. Her superhero power is losing her socks before they've even made it into the dryer. She also likes to tell stories, so parts of this bio may be exaggerated. Waiting for Fairies is not responsible for any credulity that may be lost in the reading of this bio.One Response to “Review: Dead Iron by Devon Monk”
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It sounds interesting! Now, if only I didn’t have a dozen or two books on my TBR list!