In an alternate 1880s Seattle, a sixteen-year-old named Ezekiel Blue embarks on a perilous quest to clear his father's name. His father, Dr. Leviticus Blue, is infamously blamed for unleashing a deadly blight gas sixteen years prior, an incident caused by his 'Incredible Bone-Shaking Drill Engine' – the Boneshaker – which went awry during a Klondike gold rush commission. This catastrophe destroyed downtown Seattle and turned its inhabitants into the living dead, forcing the city to be walled off. Now, a grown Ezekiel is determined to venture into the quarantined, blighted city, teeming with ravenous undead, ruthless air pirates, and criminal underworlds, to unearth the truth. Unbeknownst to his widowed mother, Briar, Ezekiel has gone in. Briar, a formidable and resourceful woman, must brave the dangers of the devastated city herself to rescue her son, navigating a landscape where survival demands wit, courage, and a heavy dose of steampunk ingenuity.
Critical Reception
"Cherie Priest's "Boneshaker" earned widespread acclaim, including the Locus Award for Best Novel, for its imaginative blend of steampunk, alternate history, and zombie horror, cementing its status as a compelling and influential work within the genre."