Golden Heart by P.J. Thorndyke
Title: Golden Heart
Author: P.J. Thorndyke
Genre: Steampunk
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Available: Amazon
About the Book
Steampunk and the lost world genre collide in a thrilling adventure that will decide the fate of America…
The North American continent has been torn apart by civil war. Steam-powered behemoths stalk the landscape, dirigibles prowl the skies and society stands on the back of a new class of slaves known as ‘mechanicals’. The conflict between the Union and the Confederacy has dragged on for twenty-five years with neither side coming close to victory. Something is needed to tip the balance.
Lazarus Longman – antiquarian, explorer and treasure hunter for the British Empire – had heard of the Seven Golden Cities of Cibola, but he never believed they really existed. So when he was ordered to track down the only two men rumored to have seen the fabled land he was skeptical to say the least. His skepticism turned to desperation when he found out that his quarry was Gerard Vasquez; a degenerate gambler, drinker and pistoleer and his companion, Hok’ee; a towering Navajo with a ferocious temper and a mechanical gun-arm.
The British want these men delivered into the hands of the Confederacy so that the war can be brought to a swift resolution. But not everybody wants the Confederacy to win. Especially not Tsar Alexander III who has dispatched his own deadly assassin to ensure the Confederates never get their hands on America’s golden heart
Review
Golden Heart is the first book in the Lazarus Longman Chronicles, a series of steampunk books. The story takes place in an alternate history during the American Civil War. It follows Lazarus Longman, a British agent who has become disillusioned with his government after a previous mission. Despite his longing to return home, he takes on a mission from to retrieve a bandit and Confederate deserter named Gerard Vasquez and return him to the Confederacy. Vasquez is said to possess some object of great value. Complications arise when a Russian agent named Katarina interferes in his mission, intent on handing Vasquez over to the Union. Circumstances force the three, and Vasquez’s Native American companion Hok’ee, to team up. Encounters with both Union and Confederate forces cause multiple betrayals and renewals of alliances as both sides search for the same thing, leading to an epic showdown.
Golden Heart is an entertaining story. The world in which the characters live is well developed and the technology is described very well. Steampunk-variants of cyborgs and dirigibles are prominent parts of the setting, especially among the Confederate military. Lazarus himself is a well developed character. At first, he is weary and just wanting to get the mission over with, but gradually comes to realized that the mission is not all it seams to be. Vasquez has hidden layers and mysterious motives and Hok’ee has surprising secrets of his own. Katarina is single-mindedly focused on her own mission, but softens a bit as the story progresses. All of the other characters, whether Confederate, Union, or other factions, are unique individuals with varying motives and goals.
Overall, Golden Heart is an engaging story. Steampunk fans will enjoy the described technology and the overall setting. Fans of alternate history stories may also enjoy this take on the American Civil War. Either way, readers will be looking forward to reading the other installments.
About the Author
P. J. Thorndyke is a writer of Steampunk, Fantasy and Adventure fiction inspired by the trashier side of pop culture like dime novels, pulp magazines, and grindhouse movies.
