The Bookman - Lavie Tidhar [0]
"Lizards from another planet have usurped the British monarchy and rule the empire; automatons are calling for equal rights; dirigibles ply the London skies; and a cast of famous Victorians work for or against the lizards. The Bookman is a delight, crammed with gorgeous period detail, seat-of-the-pants adventure and fabulous set-pieces."
- The Guardian
"Simply the best book I've read in a long time, and I read a lot of books. If you're worried that steampunk has turned into a mere fashion aesthetic, then you'd better read this one. It's a stunningly imaginative remix of history, technology, literature, and Victorian adventure that's impossible to put down. Buy it."
- James P. Blaylock
"The Bookman is without a doubt the most enjoyable, fascinating and captivating book I have read in a long time. A very exciting and captivating read."
- Dailysteampunk.com
"Literary figures emerge from the swirling fog, automatons patrol the streets, space probes head for Mars and giant lizards rule over Victorian England. A potent and atmospheric steampunk adventure."
- Chris Wooding
"The Bookman is fast-paced adventure with tons of sense of wonder. I loved the author's style. Just big time fun, this novel is highly, highly recommended."
- Fantasy Book Critic
By the same esteemed author
The Tel Aviv Dossier (with Nir Yaniv)
HebrewPunk (stories)
A Dick & Jane Primer for Adults (editor)
The Apex Book of World SF (editor)
LAVIE TIDHAR
The Bookman
ANGRY ROBOT
A member of the Osprey Group
Lace Market House,
54-56 High Pavement,
Nottingham
NG1 1HW
UK
www.angryrobotbooks.com
Read all about it
Originally published in the UK by Angry Robot 2010
Copyright © 2010 by Lavie Tidhar
Cover art by David Frankland @ Artist Partners
Book design by Argh! Nottingham
eBook set by ePub Services dot Net
All rights reserved
Angry Robot is a registered trademark and the Angry Robot icon a trademark of Angry Robot Ltd.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
ISBN 978-0-85766-035-0
To Elizabeth
PART I
Orpheus & Eurydice
I must frankly own, that if I had known, beforehand, that this book would have cost me the labour which it has, I should never have been courageous enough to commence it.
– Isabella Beeton, Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management
ONE
Orphan
Under Waterloo Bridge Gilgamesh slept
wrapped in darkness and the weak light of stars
his breath feeble in the fog:
He dreamt of Ur, and of fish,
slow-roasting on an open fire,
and the scent of spring
– L.T., "The Epic of Gilgamesh"
Orphan came down to see the old man by the Thames. The old man sat alone on the embankment under Waterloo Bridge, wrapped in a horse blanket, beside a small fire, a rod extending from his gloved hands into the dark waters of the river below. Orphan came stealthily, but the old man's blind eyes nevertheless followed his progress. Orphan sat down beside Gilgamesh on the hard stone floor and warmed his hands on the fire. In the distance, whale song rose around the setting sun.
For a while there was silence. Then, "Did you catch anything?" Orphan asked.
Gilgamesh sighed and shook his head. His long hair was matted into grey locks that made a dry rustling sound as they moved. "Change is unsparing," he said enigmatically.
Orphan echoed his sigh. "But did you catch anything?"
"If I had," Gilgamesh said reasonably, "it would have been roasting on the fire by now."
"I brought bread," Orphan said, and he reached into his bag and brought out, like a magician, a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine, both wrapped in newspaper, which he put down carefully on the ground beside them.
"Red?" Gilgamesh said.
Instead of an answer Orphan uncorked the wine, allowing its aroma to escape into the cold