The House Of Storms by Ian R. Macleod
01/05/2005 . Source: Tomas L. Martin 
pub: Simon and Schuster. 457 page hardback. Price: £12.99 (UK). ISBN: 0-7432-5672-7. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check out website: www.simonsays.co.uk
Steampunk is an interesting sub-genre recently, it seems. With examples such as China Mieville's 'Perdido Street Station' or Bruce Sterling and William Gibson's 'The Difference Engine' combining the magic of fantasy with the growing cities of industrial revolution, it's no surprise to see others following this exciting trend.
'The House Of Storms' is set in an alternate history version of Bristol in which the industrial revolution was preceded by another magical one. Aether, a magical liquid that causes all manner of wonders but can mutate horribly those who come into contact with it, is slowly being combined with electricity to create a familiar but strange England.
One particular stately home, owned by the Guild of Telegraphers and complete with a weathermaster capable of changing the climate of the valley of Invercombe, is the setting for a lot of the book. When the son of the Guild Grandmaster falls desperately ill with tuberculosis, his conniving mother makes a deal with a mutated ex-flame - living in a camp for those poisoned by Aether - to cure her son.
Whilst the son, Ralph, recovers in Invercombe, he starts studying life on the beaches and coming up with a theory of 'habitual adaptation' - hoping to play Darwin to the magic-orientated world. Whilst doing so he falls in love with his assistant and maid, a shoregirl called Marion Price.
When he attempts to elope, his mother ruins the relationship and sends him away. Although this first section seems a story in itself, it in fact is only a precursor for the rest of the novel, set some years later. A new story, in which the carefully constructed world falls apart.
The London Guilds object to slavery by Bristol and the West and an almighty civil war breaks out. Ralph is leading some of the London armies. His mother is plotting ways to use the war to her advantage. Marion ascends from Nurse to Florence Nightingale symbol, for the West. The son, Ralph's mother took from Marion, lies somewhere in the middle of the conflict, growing up in the mutant village.
It's a good book. Macleod has a very poetic style that at times is breathtaking to read but at other times gets in the way of the narrative. There were parts, particularly some of the early and very late scenes, that really held together extremely well and flowed brilliantly. Between them, the middle sections for me sagged, especially the large exposition pieces describing the changes as the years went by - beautifully written, very difficult to read and feel anything about them.
Also, large parts of the book are in the viewpoint of characters that I couldn't identify with - Ralph's mother being the prime culprit. She seemed very one-sided and while she worked fine as seen through Ralph or Marion or her husband's eyes, a cruel and calculating villain. But as a viewpoint character, she seemed flat and unrealistic, too much like a caricature.
Having said all that, the prose of 'The House Of Storms' is lovely indeed. Those who like to indulge in the 'literary' genre would do well to dip into Macleod's vivid use of language. For me, though, it reminded me of 'Perdido Street Station' and Mieville's habit in that to occasionally get a bit too distracted with words, forgetting about the characters waiting in the sidelines.
Here's hoping Ian Macleod tightens his narrative next time and produces something akin to Mieville's follow-up, 'The Scar' - a novel which can retain its individuality and great writing, but remain in constant touch with the reader's emotions and excitement.
Tomas L Martin |
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