This is the second book in the Clockwork Empire series and it was a fun follow-up to The Doomsday Vault. There are four books in the Clockwork Empire series and all of them have been released. I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the first one, but it was still a very well done steampunk adventure and I enjoy the characters and the world.

I think the main reason I didn’t enjoy this book quite as much as the first one was just because the story seemed to stall a bit; it just doesn’t make as much progress as the first book did (although it does physically cover more of this alternate world).

I did enjoy getting to see more of this amazing alternate world and I continued to enjoy our lead characters. I wasn’t a huge fan of the Dr. Clef’s character and, although I understood why he thought the actions he took made sense, I think that having these actions drive the story was just a bit...off.

While this story doesn’t progress as quickly or as intensely as the first one; there are quite a few well done fight scenes and the world is broadened. I would really like to see Gavin and Alice finally get to China in the next book and see what happens. I guess in some ways I felt a bit cheated; I was promised this amazing adventure to China at the end of the first book and then the whole thing got a bit derailed in this book.

Overall this was a fun and quick read that I enjoyed. I love this alternate historical world and continue to enjoy both Alice and Gavin as characters. I enjoyed seeing more of this world and some of the adventures Gavin and Alice go through. I thought the progress of the story slowed a bit too much and was disappointed that the characters never actually made it to China, but I hope we will see some better progress in the next book. I would recommend to those who enjoy steampunk adventure books and I plan on continuing the series. ( )

The Impossible Cube blew me away! It was even better than the explosive Doomsday Vault.

There are only few steampunk series so far that really impressed me, and Clockwork Empire is one of them. Non-stop crazy adventures, complex and extremely entertaining world-building, fantastic team of main and secondary characters, and gadgets, gadgets, gadgets...

In book one Gavin and Alice release cure for the clockwork plague in London, but it doesn't help Gavin whose illness progresses with a much faster pace than normal because of Alice's aunt experimentation on him. Young man experiences more and more episodes of clockworker brilliance when his mind races at an inhuman speed inventing dangerous and brilliant constructions. While he is in his fugue as they call it, he is nasty, unreasonable and very aggressive. When he comes back to himself he doesn't remember what he said or done and how much time he lost, how much he might have hurt Alice...

Alice carries her own cross or shall I say, mechanical spider, which attached itself to her hand in London and now transforms her blood which she sprays at clockwork zombies as a cure. She is undernourished, weak, suffers from constant blood loss and heartache, because she can't help everyone.

Alice, Gavin and their motley crew are on the run from lieutenant Phipps after destroying Doomsday Vault and all the chances of British Empire to win against China. Their goal is to get to China and seek one of their dragonmen (clockworkers) to try and cure dying Gavin. But Phipps is so close that the fugitives decide to hide in a travelling circus on the way to extremely unstable Ukraine ruled by clockworkers and their war machines.

So there is this crazy chase, Ukrainian villains, possible time warp and the destruction of the universe... No pressure and all in good fun, of course! Powerful insane imagery and wild adventure, grab and read it, don't miss this little gem! ( )

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Adventurous steampunk following Gavin & Alice on the next step of their journey. Filled with cool gadgets and explosive toys, The Impossible Cube, is less of a love story and more about saving the world from the Clockwork Virus.

Opening Sentence: Gavin Ennock snapped awake.

The Review:

The Impossible Cube follows Alice and Gavin on the next step of their journey to cure the Clockwork Virus, a virus that turns people into mindless zombies or extremely intelligent Clockworkers that create ingenious inventions that allow this steampunk world to flourish. Only weeks have passed since, Alice and Gavin destroyed the Third Ward and released a cure for those afflicted with the Clockwork Virus. They are now on the run to China to look for a cure for Clockworkers, the only people the cure will not affect, it works wonders for the mindless zombies. They are now being chased by their former boss and co-workers for their treasonous act.

Alice now has a strange spider-like contraption attached to her arm that allows her to cure people with her blood. She has been taking it upon herself to heal all those she comes across, even if she is too weak to help. She is also aided by fireflies that will slowly spread the cure but her touch works miracles. Gavin has learned he is a Clockworker and as such he keeps working on new devices and gadgets to aid in their travels. Unfortunately for Gavin, the Clockwork virus is decimating his brain at a fast pace, faster than other Clockworkers, it is looking like he may not make it to China in time for a cure.

Before they can make it to China, Gavin, Alice and the crew must hide in Europe and make some money. They need enough paraffin to make the journey to China. Their journey takes them to Kiev, Ukraine, a city that is overrun with Clockworkers. The Clockworkers have taken over the city and kidnap people from the streets for their experiments. It is also rumored that Kiev is the birthplace for the Clockwork Plague, so Alice believes that if she cures enough people there, it will spread so that less people will get the virus.

The Doomsday Vault felt more like a love story while The Impossible Cube is more an adventure story. Gavin and Alice love each other but it feels like there is a huge divide between them now. Gavin gets so lost in the madness of being a Clockworker that he is rude to Alice. Alice wants to cure everyone but cannot. They can’t get close because deep down Alice is still a prim and proper British woman, she wants to wait for marriage but since she carries a title she wants a legitimate marriage, unfortunately it doesn’t look like Gavin will last that long.

The Impossible Cube feels like a huge set up for The Dragon Men. For some stupid reason I felt like they would make it to China in this book but they don’t. The first half of this book had quite a bit of action but it just felt like it dragged on while I was completely engrossed in all the action when they made it to Kiev. There is also some hinting at time travel which I completely expected in this book but that never happens. I don’t know if it was to throw us off where the story did go or it is still to come. There is also a prophecy which doesn’t really come to fruition, it is alluded to in some events that happen later on but I think we will see more of that in the next book.

I am still fascinated with this steampunk world. The gadgets, dirigibles, and inventions are interesting and innovative. The zombies don’t really have much of an impact aside from Alice trying to cure everyone. The mindless zombies aren’t really that scary either. The Clockworkers are still crazy scary though.

Overall, the third person narrative of The Impossible Cube drives this story. I had no idea where this story was headed since my hunches didn’t pan out, but one thing is for sure, Gavin and Alice’s group undergo a lot of changes and tragedy, changes I didn’t really agree with. Another thing that is for sure, I want to know how this trilogy ends.

Notable Scene:

“Two of your ribs are cracked and it is possible a third is broken,” Berta said, and her mechanized voice managed to sound concerned. “You must come downstairs so I can wrap them.”

Adames waved her off. “Not yet.” His breath came in gasps. “Alice and Gavin have to know. I saw . . . I saw . . . the world coming to an end in flood and plague.” He panted with the effort of speaking. “Dear God, the pain.”

“Your ribs,” Berta began.

“Not my pain,” he gasped. “The world’s. So many people will die if you fail, Alice. Millions upon millions.”

Alice struggled to more alertness. “Me?”

“You must not fail,” Adames said. God has shown me. Oh, He has. I’m so sorry.”

Something in his tone made Gavin uneasy. “Sorry?”

“You’re trials aren’t over, my children.” He was leaning heavily on Berta now. “Flood and plague will destroy us if you don’t cure the world.”

“That’s my intent,” Alice said, holding up her gauntleted hand.

Adames shook his head. “Not you. Gavin.”

“Me?” Gavin started. “But Alice has the spider, and her aunt made the fireflies.”

“That’s not what God showed me,” Adames repeated stubbornly. “You will cure the world, and Alice . . . Alice must let go.”

“Let go?” Alice asked. “Let go of what?”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry. It’s not . . . it’s not like looking in a picture. It’s a dream that I know is real. Oh, Alice. Your love destroyed an empire. Now it will destroy the world as well.”

FTC Advisory: Penguin/Roc provided me with a copy of The Impossible Cube. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ( )