The Half-Made World (Half-Made World, #1)

by Felix Gilman

The world is still only half-made. Between the wild shores of uncreation, and the ancient lands of the East lies the vast expanse of the West---young, chaotic, magnificent, war-torn.

Thirty years ago, the Red Republic fought to remake the West---fought gloriously, and failed. The world that now exists has been carved out amid a war between two rival factions: the Line, enslaving the world with industry, and the Gun, a cult of terror and violence. The Republic is now history, and the last of its generals sits forgotten and nameless in a madhouse on the edge of creation. But locked in his memories is a secret that could change the West forever, and the world's warring powers would do anything to take it from him.

Now Liv Alverhuysen, a doctor of the new science of psychology, travels west, hoping to heal the general's shattered mind. John Creedmoor, reluctant Agent of the Gun and would-be gentleman of leisure, travels west, too, looking to steal the secret or die trying. And the servants of the Line are on the march.

• ISBN10: 0765325527
• ISBN13: 9780765325525
• Publish Date: 12 October 2010
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 22 July 2015
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Tor Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 479
• Language: English

Reviews

[layawaydragon]

2.5 Stars: The world is fascinating and stand-out. The characters were good, but not in a moral sense. I did love the different POVs from The Gun, The Line and Noob. The plot sounds good but it and the characters seem to be bogged down with extra weight and repetition. It took a while to get into and my attention came and went like the tides after. I think it was the writing that kept me out and it felt too long going in obvious directions.

It wasn’t until Book Two, The Doll House, which begins on page 158 that I started getting into The Half-Made World. But even there they dawdled and the minutiae of everyday was just dull. The tidbits we found out about the Guardian didn’t feel worth it. I know it was setting up the next adventure and The Boy but, my interest waned all the same.

It came back with the exploration West. Then left after so many days of going West. The setting was great, but the characters are going nowhere discussing the same things.

Either it was going to run into salvation or death and a confrontation. There wasn’t any way around it and the setting wasn’t enough to keep it from dragging ass.

And again with the town, but I quit caring much quicker than the last time.

Then it was “Fighting!”, but I wanted to cry when they struck off West again. Oh god.

Thankfully, it was over shortly after.

I can’t pinpoint why it was so up and down or what exactly turned me off. Seems to be a combination of little surprise with a drawn out journey beating a dead horse. Even still, what’s here is good. I just can’t help but feel with some editing and the writing put in check, it’d be much better.

I hate that I did this, but I skipped passages, especially in that damn village. I was so tired of hearing the same shit from different people’s mouths. I’m sure all that time gave Liv and The Gun time but their relationship and character progression could’ve been just as great with less words. And what a week in the Village? Ugh. And The Gun knowingly wasted time on the journey and at the hospital. Couldn’t The Line be made more competitive so he didn’t have to drag his feet for the plot/pacing? Something. Anything.

There isn’t much to say of the Gaslamp aspects. It appears to be mostly aesthetic and can quite frankly be confused as paranormal most of the time. There’s the normal, steam engines and bombs, and the paranormal, like The Line’s Engine Masters and noise bombs. The Line has most of the goodies and I don’t recall them being gear-and-spring-ed out.

They appeared mechanical and more advanced than typical of the age. However, it’s only after reading the sequel The Rise of Ransom City that I believe their inventions come from the people and not the mythical Engines themselves or some-such. Before, I figured it was all paranormal magic and didn’t get where it became Gaslamp. Admittedly, I haven’t read much of the genre. Maybe I just don’t “get it” yet.

I did like The Rise of Ransom City much better and it’s more obviously Gaslamp fantasy.

I will admit I’m hesitant to read more Felix Gilman, though his ideas are certainly interesting, because of the issues I had and everyone else getting more from it, and comparing it to his other work. Oh well, I’ll give him a shot some other time and hopefully it will pull me before 100 pages are up.