Cherie Priest takes her Clockwork Century series out with a bang with Fiddlehead. She gives us a crazy scientist predicting the end of the world, spies, counter-spies, corrupt politicians, and plenty of wacky steampunk technology that has no business existing in the mid-nineteenth century.

The writing, as usual, is crisp and clear and fun. It takes things just seriously enough to keep the reader in the story, but adds the dash of fun that's needed to propel things past the preposterous. On the other hand, I was a bit disappointed by the kitchen sink approach to this entry in the series. Especially toward the end, there were callbacks to characters and situations from previous books that felt a bit forced and rushed. Sort of, 'Hi there. Remember me?', over and over to wrap things up in a neat package. Some of the connections could have used more elaboration (but without belaboring them).

The bottom line is that I enjoyed the ride and am sad that it's over (for now, at least). I'm looking forward to future offerings from Cherie. ( )

I hadn't planned on finishing Fiddlehead today ... but there you go. Couldn't put it down once I got into it.

The Clockwork Century books are amazing works of intelligent escapist fiction. They're fast-paced, rollicking adventure stories set in a totally improbable time and place--where intelligence, courage, depravity, loyalty and luck are distributed amongst male and female, young and old, white, chinese, native and black. Not a single damsel in distress in the entire series. Thank you, Cherie Priest.

Fiddlehead itself has the extra advantage of a former-slave super scientist hobnobbing with Abraham Lincoln to end the war. It is extra-geeky steampunk zombie alternative history joy that also manages to treat all groups and classes like people--it shouldn't be such an amazing accomplishment, but it is. ( )

One of Steampunk's better series comes to an end. For now. How bittersweet it was turning that last page. However, Cherie Priest has written other books, other stories that I hope to get my hands on SOON.

This is one of those series that you want to re-read almost as soon as you put down the last book.

It is a series I love to recommend as an introduction to Steampunk along with Gail Carriger's books. It isn't as traditional as some, being that it is set during an alternative version of the Civil War. But that difference is what, I think, helps American readers connect more easily to the genre.

It's a sad farewell, but not a final good-bye. The war had to end sometime, even if it means not exactly living happily ever after - another selling point to this series. It's fun and honest in many ways, including handling loose ends, but not to the point of being unrealistic.

Love this book. Love the series.

You will too. ( )

‘Fiddlehead’- a computing machine bright enough to ‘fiddle with a man’s head’- brings the story arc started in ‘Boneshaker’(still my favorite of the series, especially now that there is a huge digging machine stuck under Seattle)to a close; hopefully it’s not the end of Priest’s steampunk, alternative history Clockwork Century world as well. The zombies that we first saw in ‘Boneshaker’ are explained and sorted, and the prolonged (20 years) American Civil War brought to a close. The characters we’ve been introduced to through the series have a chance of peace at last.

The story had multiple story lines, including that of Gideon Bardsley, inventor of the Fiddlehead and former slave, as he is attacked in an attempt to destroy his calculating machine. He finds himself running for his life, right to the home of retired President Lincoln, who survived the assassination attempt but now uses a motorized wheelchair. Meanwhile, President Grant finds a traitor in his government whose actions may not just keep the war going but cause the end of civilization on the American continents. There is a lot at stake, and only a few people- including a former Confederate spy and a man with a warrant out on him-and very little time to try and stop a zombie apocalypse from occurring.

It’s a good story; the story line following Maria Boyd (the former spy) has a tremendous amount of action in it right up to the climax. The line that follows Grant, Bardsley and Lincoln is very tense but there is a siege that goes on far too long- the one flaw I felt the book had. All in all, a satisfying read. ( )

It is a relief the Civil War is ending. I mean it has been dragging on for so long draining our heroine of all her resources. Of course I mean Cherie Priest, not Maria Boyd. While Ms Boyd’s adventures in this time that never was has certainly been exciting and enjoyable in their own right, I felt they have been a distraction to the true heart of the Clockwork Century: the story of Seattle, the source of “sap” and the source of the rotters. In the acknowledgements, Cherie Priest says Fiddlehead is not the end of the Clockwork Century, but she does say we may have to be content with smaller portions from time to time . . . at least for now.

For me, this was a let down from The Inexplicables and certainly did not approach the tension of Ganymede. There are enough seeds sown in Fiddlehead, though, that I can’t help but wonder what the course the newly re-United States will take and if the focus will shift away from Seattle, towards DC or go in an entirely new direction. Whatever the author has in store, I want to follow it.

Fiddlehead stands up very well on its own. The pacing is excellent and the backstory is nicely filled in without the need for prolonged flashbacks, nonetheless, some of the character relationships may seem a little puzzling if you are just coming into the story at this point. Overall, I am rating this as a solid four stars. ( )