![]() I downloaded it and sped through it in about a half an hour. I was all set to start on Dreadnought, the next book in the Clockwork Century series, and saw that this short story actually came next, according to Goodreads. ![]() I was much impressed with how well the creepy tone of the story is brought across in the simple and yet horrifyingly disturbing descriptions of Tanglefoot - even just in his motions! It's written in such a way that's hella scary, but it's not grotesque and overt. And Madeline is dragged off back to the sanitarium. Edwin is still a lonely orphan boy whose best friend is an elderly scientist who is losing his mind. I seriously need some backstory on this lady.īut even though their problem is taken care of, unfortunately this doesn't end happy. Now Madeline turned out to be by far the most interesting character in this story, as she is a patient at this asylum, but we don't know why, and from all accounts, she seems to be a pretty sane badass who's entirely willing to take out a homicidal automaton from hell. And, oh yeah, is becoming increasingly homicidal.Įdwin eventually goes upstairs to the sanitarium to find Madeline and sneak her downstairs. Edwin is appropriately disturbed but doesn't destroy Ted (BIG mistake) which has been gradually gaining a mind of it's own, and turning itself on and off, and keeps saying "Tanglefoot". Beings without souls are ripe for "something else" to find it's way inside it. He makes an automaton, names it Ted, and Madeline, one of the patients, warns him that it doesn't have a soul. Smeeks, a old weapons designer whose mental facilities are failing, and tinkers around with Smeek's leftovers. Edwin, the son of one of the late patients, spends his time in the basement with Dr. If that doesn't tell you everything you need to know, then I don't know what will. The story is set in the basement of a sanitarium in the 19th century. Best case scenario, it won't be a friend to you, and worst case, you're looking a veritable homicidal demon spawn. Just don't do it, I don't care how lonely you are, or how much you think it will help society. A tale as old as time, and really we should know by now not to build automatons and AI. Tanglefoot is a darn disturbing little story, for all that it's been told before. This short story exists in the same universe as the Clockwork Century, but having read any of the books in the series is not a pre-requisite. It’s an interesting story, and a little disturbing I hope it doesn’t stick with me too long. ![]() But “Tanglefoot’s” oddness goes beyond this. Edwin, for example, is lonely and manages to build himself a friend (“Everybody makes friends”) out of the good doctor’s odd and ends. Steampunk is always a bit odd people manage to build amazing contraptions out of amazingly little. Archibald Smeeks, a once brilliant weapons designer who is increasing slipping away into dementia. The boy in question is Edwin, an orphan who the nominal assistant to Dr. Most of the action takes place in the basement of a sanitarium in 1880. “Tanglefoot” is also darkish story (but in a totally different way). ![]() Sounds sweet (unless you remember Don Johnson and Blood from “A Boy and His Dog” (1975)). “Tanglefoot” is the story of a boy and his automaton. I bought it because it is Steampunk AND it takes place in Seattle (according to Wikipedia there are also zombies, but that’s not a selling point for me). In my defense, when I bought the first book in the series, Boneshaker (2009), I didn’t know it was going to be a series. Remember what I said about not being into series as much as I used to be? Well, I used to *really* be into series. It’s available online from Subterranean Press at. It is the first published work in Priest’s new Steampunk series, the Clockwork Century. “Tanglefoot” is a longish short story or a short novella. I read “Tanglefoot: A Story of the Clockwork Century” (2008 or 2009 depending on what source you believe) by Cherie Priest shortly after I finished In the Garden of Iden. ![]()
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