
'The Difference Engine' by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling is an alternative history novel set in a Victorian England where steam-powered technology has advanced to the point of creating mechanical computers. The book explores the consequences of Charles Babbage completing his steam-powered computer, the Difference Engine, and the societal changes brought about by this technological advancement. The plot follows multiple storylines that intertwine, involving intrigue, civil disorder, and a Sherlock Holmes-style mystery surrounding stolen computer cards.
The writing style of 'The Difference Engine' is described as detailed and immersive, painting a vivid picture of an alternate Victorian landscape where industrialism and early computing have triumphed over traditional political and social structures. The narrative is noted for its complexity, with some readers finding the plot convoluted yet fascinating, while others struggled to follow the multiple intertwining storylines and found the characters lacking depth and consistency.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include references to violence, pollution leading to environmental disaster, and themes related to class struggles and inequality.
From The Publisher:
With new commentary by the authors
1855: The Industrial Revolution is in full swing, powered by steam-driven cybernetic Engines. Charles Babbage perfects his Analytical Engine, and the computer age arrives a century ahead of its time. Three extraordinary characters race toward a rendezvous with the future: Sybil Gerard-fallen woman, politician's tart, daughter of a Luddite agitator; Edward "Leviathan" Mallory-explorer and paleontologist; Laurence Oliphant-diplomat, mystic, and spy. Their adventure begins with the discovery of a box of punched Engine cards of unknown origin and purpose. Cards someone wants badly enough to kill for.
Ratings (7)
Loved It (1) | |
Liked It (2) | |
It Was OK (3) | |
Did Not Like (1) |
Reader Stats (24):
Read It (7) | |
Want To Read (15) | |
Did Not Finish (1) | |
Not Interested (1) |
About the Author:
William Gibson is credited with having coined the term "cyberspace" and having envisioned both the Internet and virtual reality before either existed. He is the author of Neuromancer, Count Zero, Mona Lisa Overdrive, Burning Chrome, Virtual Light, Idoru, All Tomorrow's Parties, Pattern Recognition, Spook Country, Zero History, Distrust That Particular Flavor, and The Peripheral. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, with his wife.
Bruce Sterling is an Austin-born science fiction writer and Net critic, internationally recognized as a cyberspace theorist who is also considered one of the forefathers of the cyberpunk movement in science fiction. He has won a John W. Campbell Award, two Hugo Awards, and an Arthur C. Clarke Award.
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