In the stand-alone sequel to the original steampunk story, Dower returns from exile to see the Victorian world his father’s inventions inspired, including FEX, where Jeter finally names his obsession: ferrous sex, the mechanical augmentation of humans and the imitations of intimacy that allows. The tale ends with a titanic clash that closes this bubble of alternative history.

A sequel to Infernal Devices.

This story picks up with our protagonist Dower once more reduced to dire straits, through a mixture of arbitrary misfortune, personal failings and social forces. While the previous tale had a certain mild Lovecraftian element, this is essentially a tale of pure Science Gone Mad.

Jeter pulls off the difficult feat of having an unsympathetic protagonist, or rather, one who totters always on the brink for me. It's very possible to sympathise with the plights he always finds himself in, and the way the universe appears to conspire against him. In many ways he's a more convincing protagonist than most, not a heroic figure but a victim. His stuffy conservatism, earnest wish to be left in peace away from unwelcome change, and rather slow reactions to goings on, are rather more like most of us than the usual run of lightning-reflexed go-getting do-gooders. Mostly he is motivated by a mixture of self-interest, self-preservation, arm-twisting and horror. Sometimes the unrelentingness of this is a little wearing, and Dower stands in the way of the reader getting what they want - explanations, action, story. You can't help feeling that if he would just get a grip-! But that is, in itself, a very consistent and believable portrayal of a tiresome, yet relatable character.

On the downside, one of the consequences of this interesting character choice is that Dower is barely a protagonist at all. There is very little pro. In many ways, he is more of a passive observer, or at most an unwilling puppet of antagonists, reporting to the reader the many unpleasant situations forced upon him. He rarely makes a decision of his own accord, and has very little influence over his own fate; indeed, sometimes he doesn't seem to even try and take charge of his own life. This can weigh the book down at times.

On the whole, it's a rather grim book for steampunk (as Jeter seems to be in general). There's a definite tongue-in-cheek humour to a lot of it, from Dower himself to many of the events and social trends observed. Nevertheless, Jeter portrays dark and miserable worlds and a bitter, self-loathing protagonist with a very Little Englander attitude. It's not cheery reading, but it's an interesting one seeing how the contortions of the plot unfold, and even ends on something of a high note. ( )