The Rising

By: Ian Tregillis

Narrated by: Chris Kayser

The second book in the Alchemy Wars trilogy by Ian Tregillis, an epic tale of liberation and war.

Jax, a rogue Clakker, has wreaked havoc upon the Clockmakers' Guild by destroying the Grand Forge. Reborn in the flames, he must begin his life as a free Clakker, but liberation proves its own burden.

Berenice, formerly the legendary spymaster of New France, mastermind behind her nation's attempts to undermine the Dutch Hegemony, has been banished from her homeland and captured by the Clockmakers Guild's draconian secret police force.

Meanwhile, Captain Hugo Longchamp is faced with rallying the beleaguered and untested defenders of Marseilles-in-the-West for the inevitable onslaught from the Brasswork Throne and its army of mechanical soldiers.

©2015 Ian Tregillis (P)2015 Hachette Audio

Wondeful complex story, sub-par narration

I'm really enjoying this series. I find the main characters interesting and the plot twists more than satisfying.

I've listened to many audio books. Some narrators are excellent, others not so much. Chris Kayser is one of the latter. How does a person who is being paid to read professionally, knowing his name will appear in the credits, not have enough pride in his work to learn how to pronounce words correctly? How does a publisher like Hachette Audio let such sloppy work out? I try to ignore it, but it really hurts the overall product.

Still worth reading

Any additional comments?

This book I found not to be AS engaging as the first in the series. I wasn't terribly interested in the battle at New France and I skipped through most of it. I'm not really sure why the author chose to take the Visser out as a viewpoint character because I thought that would have been much more interesting. I'm wondering if there is an edit of this novel where his journey IS included. Berenice still totters on whether she's going to be a good person or not. Jax/Daniel is funny as ever! I'm a little disappointed at how clunky, fast, and shallow his time with Queen Mab is, but I guess the author had to get him to the culmination of the battle. I'm hoping book three is better!

Even better than first book.

Outstanding series. Be prepared for moral ambiguity and wholesale slaughter of decent people and characters.

Can't Recommend Enough

Quite some time ago I had listened to the audio book of the first book in this series, The Mechanical and enjoyed it quite a bit. So going into the second book I was hoping that the series wouldn't suffer from a sophomore slump. Not only did it put my concerns at ease but delivered tenfold.

Can't wait to dive into the next book.

Loved it

My only complaint is that I am finished reading it. I absolutely love Ian Tregillis writing style. It is not possible to pack any more detail into the story.

Riveting 2nd Installment of Clacker triology

Tregillis' continues his alternative history, steam-punk trilogy with a riveting second installment. Vivid characters are set in a 1920s where steam, horse and hand power has not given way to electricity, but fashioned a world at war with flesh fighting relentlessly against brasswork automated slaves. The Rising depicts Western Civilization as divided between a globe- striding Dutch Empire and a shattered and isolated France in retreat in Quebec and Montreal (identify as "Marsailles in the West"). Against this backdrop, the novel continues to develop its themes of imperial power, war, free will, treachery, sacrifice, slavery, freedom and dignity in a story that uses mechanicals as standings for African slaves whose bodies and talents built and enriched empires as white supremacy perfected a dehumanizing regime of racism intent upon reducing black men and women to mere flesh and blood robots. As this volume ends, Tregillis' metal metaphors have found a way to loose their masters' chains. I can't wait to read the third installment to see how it all turns out. Perhaps readers will find a lesson or two for this reality.

More of the same --hurrah

Not your children's steampunk. The series continues and we are left waiting for more. No doubt there will be more.

I loved the first book. This one is even better!

The narrator is phenomenal! The characters are so vivid in the voicing and characterization. Such compelling alternate history as a backdrop for a fantasy epic masterpiece. Tregillis is as clever as a Dutch clockmaker when it comes to plot. Can't wait to listen to episode 3.

SPECTACULAR!!!!

A truly original story with some of the best and diverse characters ive ever come across. im actually going to listen to this a second time just to hear the dialogue again.

Awesome story

Ian Tregillis is one of my favorite authors. Listening to this book was a pleasure. This helped me through some personal issues. Thank you Ian. You helped me out with this book. The narrator was fantastic. Perfect. Thanks for a great experience.