STEAMPUNK SPECS

Editor Allan Kaster gathers together a bouquet of steampunk stories with mechanical creations and conflicted societies. Disparate stories present ethical dilemmas in a range of settings from domestic to extraterrestrial. Tom Dheere, narrating "Tanglefoot," and "Arbeitskraft," among others, enriches his stories with a variety of accents and character voices. Often engaging and exciting, Dheere deftly goes from chilling to factual tones. However, his thick German accent in "Arbeitskraft" is incomprehensible. Vanessa Hart, who narrates "Ninety Thousand Horses" and "Zeppelin City," uses gravitas to heighten the delicious tension of her stories. Nancy Linari's mellifluous narration of "Machine Maid" engages the senses in a way that that fits well with a story of uncomfortable intimacy, although her accents are weak. Overall, intriguing stories and a varied narration provide adventures galore. C.A. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2013]