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The Huge Hunter, Or, the Steam Man of the Prairies
Edward Sylvester Ellis was a major American author during the era of inexpensive fiction of the nineteenth century (dime novels). Because he wrote under dozens of pseudonyms, as well as under his own name, it is virtually impossible to know exactly how many books he wrote, but it is believed to be in the hundreds. He specialized in boys' stories, inspirational biography, and history for both children and adults.
108 pages, Paperback
Published April 20, 2007
About the author
Edward S. Ellis
618 books12 followersEdward Sylvester Ellis was an American author who was born in Ohio, and died at Cliff Island, Maine. He served as editor of Public Opinion (a daily newspaper), Golden Days and Holiday (both children's magazines). He specialized in boys' stories, inspirational biography, and history for both children and adults. He was a major author during the era of inexpensive fiction of the nineteenth century (dime novels).
Besides books published under his own name, Ellis' work was published under various pseudonyms, including:
Captain James Fenimore Cooper "Bruin" Adams
Boynton M. Belknap
Captain Latham C. Carleton
Capt. R.M. Hawthorne
Lieut. Ned Hunter
Lieut. R.H. Jayne
Captain H.R. Millbank
Billex Muller
Lieut. J.H. Randolph
Seelin Robins
Emerson Rodman
E.A. St. Mox
Besides books published under his own name, Ellis' work was published under various pseudonyms, including:
Captain James Fenimore Cooper "Bruin" Adams
Boynton M. Belknap
Captain Latham C. Carleton
Capt. R.M. Hawthorne
Lieut. Ned Hunter
Lieut. R.H. Jayne
Captain H.R. Millbank
Billex Muller
Lieut. J.H. Randolph
Seelin Robins
Emerson Rodman
E.A. St. Mox
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 18, 2016
For those that are interested in the history of science fiction, this is a very interesting book as it features the first mechanical man in fiction. And for those that are interested in steampunk this should have some interest because it is a steam powered man, and the story is set in the 1800s. So I was quite curious about why this book is so obscure as it is.
After reading it I think it may be partly because it is really more of a western than science fiction. In fact it is a fairly typical western with problems that sometimes come with the genre. It is racist in its depiction of American Indians as faceless, shadowy figures that are only interested in killing, scalping, or frying the heroes. This is all done in a lively manner, but gets tiresome after a short while.
Maybe the main reason why it is so obscure is that it is basically not very good. It is quickly written pulp, but that is not the problem. I don't have anything against pulp. I have read pulp that has been good fun, and this is at least a lively story. It's just that it isn't very good. So I'm glad I read it, but that is mostly because of its place in science fiction history.
After reading it I think it may be partly because it is really more of a western than science fiction. In fact it is a fairly typical western with problems that sometimes come with the genre. It is racist in its depiction of American Indians as faceless, shadowy figures that are only interested in killing, scalping, or frying the heroes. This is all done in a lively manner, but gets tiresome after a short while.
Maybe the main reason why it is so obscure is that it is basically not very good. It is quickly written pulp, but that is not the problem. I don't have anything against pulp. I have read pulp that has been good fun, and this is at least a lively story. It's just that it isn't very good. So I'm glad I read it, but that is mostly because of its place in science fiction history.
June 12, 2018
I know it was written in 1868, but it completely dehumanizes Native Americans, has awful nationalist stereotypes and weird ideas about disability. I also know that those were the widespread notions at the time, but perhaps we should just close the page and leave those notions in the aforementioned century. Yeah, the steam man is cool for its time - but the cool doesn't outweigh the very uncool problematic parts. I feel compromised and ashamed by merely having read it :/ awful.
I got this book on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, and as you can see, receiving it for free has not affected my opinion.
I got this book on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, and as you can see, receiving it for free has not affected my opinion.
December 21, 2022
Real Rating: 2.5* of five, rounded down
PEARL RULED (51%)
The Publisher Says: One of the earliest examples of steampunk literature, this 1868 tale was also among the first American science-fiction novels and the very first literary instance of a mechanical man.
Extremely popular and much imitated in its day, the story concerns a teenage inventor who constructs an automaton to help him explore the American prairie.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: "...and with not a single Indian in sight!" reads the cliff-hanger to chapter 11 of this early science fiction story. It was then that my last nerve, frayed by racism and the passage of 150-plus years, snapped.
I can't do it. I can overlook and explain away with the best of 'em if I'm gettin' somethin' for it. I was not only not gettin' nothin' for it, I was puttin' in a damn sight more effort than I care to put in for a pleasure this attenuated. I tried three separate times, before and during the pandemic, and now ~after(?) it. I think that's more than fair, and I've never made it past this point.
PEARL RULED (51%)
The Publisher Says: One of the earliest examples of steampunk literature, this 1868 tale was also among the first American science-fiction novels and the very first literary instance of a mechanical man.
Extremely popular and much imitated in its day, the story concerns a teenage inventor who constructs an automaton to help him explore the American prairie.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: "...and with not a single Indian in sight!" reads the cliff-hanger to chapter 11 of this early science fiction story. It was then that my last nerve, frayed by racism and the passage of 150-plus years, snapped.
I can't do it. I can overlook and explain away with the best of 'em if I'm gettin' somethin' for it. I was not only not gettin' nothin' for it, I was puttin' in a damn sight more effort than I care to put in for a pleasure this attenuated. I tried three separate times, before and during the pandemic, and now ~after(?) it. I think that's more than fair, and I've never made it past this point.
July 28, 2023
Семпла приключенска история с щипка фантасмагоричност, накратко - литературно джънк-фуудче от края на ХIX в. (жанрът се наричал Едисониада). Куците моменти в родния превод допълнително влошават ситуацията. Томчето с джобен формат е част от библиотека "Прометей" на издателство "Ерове". Кътам още една книжка от нея, пък да видим дали ще има и трета среща...
June 17, 2008
This is by no means a well-written or significant book--except in its historical significance. It is generally recognized as the first American science fiction dime novel and this fact is the only reason anyone ever reads it any more, I do believe.
It is an "Edisonade," a story of an inventor and his inventions, in this case Johnny Brainerd, a teenage dwarf who invents a steam man (basically a steam engine on legs instead of a railroad track or a river) and takes it out to the Western prairies with three men who are looking for gold. They find their gold and battle Indians before finally making it back home safe, sound, and wealthier than before. This is an adventure story before anything else, though. More attention is paid to the men's battles with the Indians (described in extremely racist terms, of course, given the time and place of the book's writing) than to the creation of the steam man and the technology involved therein.
It is an "Edisonade," a story of an inventor and his inventions, in this case Johnny Brainerd, a teenage dwarf who invents a steam man (basically a steam engine on legs instead of a railroad track or a river) and takes it out to the Western prairies with three men who are looking for gold. They find their gold and battle Indians before finally making it back home safe, sound, and wealthier than before. This is an adventure story before anything else, though. More attention is paid to the men's battles with the Indians (described in extremely racist terms, of course, given the time and place of the book's writing) than to the creation of the steam man and the technology involved therein.
December 31, 2019
I read the first half and decided not to read the second. It was truly awful. Written for children, it suffered from the racism (against native Americans) prevalent at the time of its writing. I don't demand writers of other periods share modern day cultural sensibilities. Therefore, what was even worse (for me) was that the characters lacked all introspection, a weakness common to most genre fiction until the Campbell revolution of 1938. The science fiction aspect was virtually nonexistent. The author was too lazy to even bother explaining how the steam man moved forward. The steam man could easily have been substituted with a steam locomotive, upon which it would lose all science fiction trappings and become just a forgotten western, like the rest of Ellis's oeuvre.
August 8, 2010
"Steampunk" from the age of steam itself, and interesting from that viewpoint; a brisk read, too, albeit undeniably slight in plot. It's marred by racist depictions of Native Americans, though perhaps not egregious by the standards of the time, and some sport hunting. There's also a ridiculously stereotypical Irish character. The Gutenberg edition has the usual errors, at least one a page.
August 13, 2016
This is really not a very good novel, but it's important historically because it's the precursor to the "boy inventor" movement, a movement that predates even its most famous character, Tom Swift. It's worth reading, really, only if you really like to know the historical context of such things. I found it amusing, and I'm very fond of it. But it's not an especially good book.
April 9, 2014
Simplistic, wildly politically incorrect, full of clunky prose and a lot of fun.
One of the many books written at the time to cash in on the popularity of Jules Verne and the new popular literary genre, science fiction.
A Boys own adventure that gives just enough science and history that I could see it being used as a 'gateway drug' to get young boys reading.
Young genius manages to build a steam powered robot that can walk along at high speed and tow a wagon behind it. He's convinced by a frontiersman that it would be a perfect field test of the steam man if it took him and his crew through Indian territory to a gold mine he has laid a claim on.
Along the way they race buffalos, fight indians and explore the prairie.
Good sense of adventure and a decent sense of humor ( though about half the humor is unintentional) and likable enough characters.
One of the many books written at the time to cash in on the popularity of Jules Verne and the new popular literary genre, science fiction.
A Boys own adventure that gives just enough science and history that I could see it being used as a 'gateway drug' to get young boys reading.
Young genius manages to build a steam powered robot that can walk along at high speed and tow a wagon behind it. He's convinced by a frontiersman that it would be a perfect field test of the steam man if it took him and his crew through Indian territory to a gold mine he has laid a claim on.
Along the way they race buffalos, fight indians and explore the prairie.
Good sense of adventure and a decent sense of humor ( though about half the humor is unintentional) and likable enough characters.
August 6, 2013
Just terrible, but short and vaguely of historical interest. The plot revolves around a boy inventor who creates a giant "steam man." The hunting of the title mostly consists of wholesale slaughter of Native Americans (and some buffalo).
April 22, 2024
A locomotive man in the wild wild west, now, isn't this a pure steampunk story!?! Considering the time it was written, it's so cool! I mean Benz was about the same time but in Germany! The idea is unique and the adventures would show how life was back then. Liked it a lot.
The text was quite hard to read, so, listening to the audiobook by LibriVox with the right accent and tone was quite a blessing, also, it reminded me of the English courses, felt nostalgic.
The fourth story of this list.
Well done sir. rip.
The text was quite hard to read, so, listening to the audiobook by LibriVox with the right accent and tone was quite a blessing, also, it reminded me of the English courses, felt nostalgic.
The fourth story of this list.
Well done sir. rip.
October 30, 2016
“The Steam Man of the Prairies” eBook was published in 2016 (original paper edition was published in 1868) and was written by Edward S. Ellis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_...). He authored more than 100 “Dime Novels”.
I received a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in the frontier lands west of the Mississippi in the 1870s time frame. The primary character is Johnny Brainerd, a young inventor.
Brainerd builds a steam powered ‘man’ and is enticed by an acquaintance to accompany him west from St. Louis to seek out gold. They travel into the western territories constantly battling Indians along the way. Their goal is to meet up with colleagues already mining gold, finish the dig and then head back to civilization. The four encounter one challenge after another as they avoid death from the marauding Indians.
This was an interesting 2.5 hour read of 112 pages. You can definitely tell it was written nearly 150 years ago. It reminds me of the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs or the early Tom Swift books. It was a little hard to read due to the wording of the time. It had a good pace, always finding one problem after another to be overcome. The cover art is well chosen. I give this novella a 4 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I received a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The story is set in the frontier lands west of the Mississippi in the 1870s time frame. The primary character is Johnny Brainerd, a young inventor.
Brainerd builds a steam powered ‘man’ and is enticed by an acquaintance to accompany him west from St. Louis to seek out gold. They travel into the western territories constantly battling Indians along the way. Their goal is to meet up with colleagues already mining gold, finish the dig and then head back to civilization. The four encounter one challenge after another as they avoid death from the marauding Indians.
This was an interesting 2.5 hour read of 112 pages. You can definitely tell it was written nearly 150 years ago. It reminds me of the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs or the early Tom Swift books. It was a little hard to read due to the wording of the time. It had a good pace, always finding one problem after another to be overcome. The cover art is well chosen. I give this novella a 4 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
October 29, 2016
This is an interesting and fun vintage science fiction. My Rating 4.0.
Young Johnny Brainerd started being a tinker almost as a toddler. Once bored with standard inventions, he jumps upon his mother’s suggestion to create a mechanical man. He hides it in his garage until one day a strange looking man gets a glimpse. Tracker, frontiersman, Baldy Bicknell, is immediately fascinated by the steam man. He assures Johnny that they can test it out on the prairies where it can be very useful to help another project that he is involved with. Baldy is working with two rough miners seeking gold! But the men have been under constant threat from Indian attacks. Perhaps the appearance of a huge steam man could scare the Indians.
This story was written in 1868 which I think makes it remarkable fun. The steampunk elements are presented with good, reliable detail. The author uses rough accents to convey personalities to the characters. They are not deeply developed but there is enough portrayal to make them interesting and real to the time period. The story is creative and has action with the running steam man and dangerous confrontations with the Indians. The writing is not precise and could have benefited from a good editing. Still this is a quick, fun read. I recommend it to steampunk fans and to those interested in sci fi literature history.
Young Johnny Brainerd started being a tinker almost as a toddler. Once bored with standard inventions, he jumps upon his mother’s suggestion to create a mechanical man. He hides it in his garage until one day a strange looking man gets a glimpse. Tracker, frontiersman, Baldy Bicknell, is immediately fascinated by the steam man. He assures Johnny that they can test it out on the prairies where it can be very useful to help another project that he is involved with. Baldy is working with two rough miners seeking gold! But the men have been under constant threat from Indian attacks. Perhaps the appearance of a huge steam man could scare the Indians.
This story was written in 1868 which I think makes it remarkable fun. The steampunk elements are presented with good, reliable detail. The author uses rough accents to convey personalities to the characters. They are not deeply developed but there is enough portrayal to make them interesting and real to the time period. The story is creative and has action with the running steam man and dangerous confrontations with the Indians. The writing is not precise and could have benefited from a good editing. Still this is a quick, fun read. I recommend it to steampunk fans and to those interested in sci fi literature history.
March 15, 2016
It is said that when Robert Fulton's first steamboat ascended the Hudson, it created a consternation and terror such as had never before been knownmany [sic] believing that it was the harbinger of the final destruction of the world.
Of course, at this late-day, no such excitement can be created by any human inventionbut [sic] the sight of a creature speeding over the country, impelled by stream, and bearing such a grotesque resemblance to a gigantic man, could not but startle all who should see it for the first time. ~ page 36
Wikipedia credits Steam Man of the Prairies as the "first U.S. science fiction dime novel and archetype of the Frank Reade series" so that makes it pretty historical. The writing (and typesetting; see above) most would justifiably describe as crude (as was the subsequent Frank Reade series from what I've gathered). However, I found it actually fairly quaint.
"Historical" and "quaint", however, can only work for so long. After, oh, say 100 pages they tend to wear thin...but on the other other hand...100 pages is exactly the count for this brief oddity. So, all in all, I enjoyed it.
Of course, at this late-day, no such excitement can be created by any human inventionbut [sic] the sight of a creature speeding over the country, impelled by stream, and bearing such a grotesque resemblance to a gigantic man, could not but startle all who should see it for the first time. ~ page 36
Wikipedia credits Steam Man of the Prairies as the "first U.S. science fiction dime novel and archetype of the Frank Reade series" so that makes it pretty historical. The writing (and typesetting; see above) most would justifiably describe as crude (as was the subsequent Frank Reade series from what I've gathered). However, I found it actually fairly quaint.
"Historical" and "quaint", however, can only work for so long. After, oh, say 100 pages they tend to wear thin...but on the other other hand...100 pages is exactly the count for this brief oddity. So, all in all, I enjoyed it.
May 30, 2008
This book is chiefly interesting because it is one of the earliest American SF novels. The only real scientific content of the book is the construction of a steam powered robot by a young inventor, Johnny Brainerd, who exhibits all the characteristics of a classic 'nerd' (indeed I am wondering if the word 'nerd' comes from this book).
The actual story blends proto-steampunk (if such a thing is possible) with the pulp western: there are encounters with Indians (all of whom are described in lazy racist terms) and also with bears and rogue hunters. The stereotypical Irishman and Yankee who befriend the young inventor provide most of the humour. Not a gerat read, by any means, but this book does have considerable historic value!
The actual story blends proto-steampunk (if such a thing is possible) with the pulp western: there are encounters with Indians (all of whom are described in lazy racist terms) and also with bears and rogue hunters. The stereotypical Irishman and Yankee who befriend the young inventor provide most of the humour. Not a gerat read, by any means, but this book does have considerable historic value!
April 2, 2013
I love a nineteenth-century adventure, and the very American subgenre of the 'Edisonade' intrigued me: boy geniuses crafting mad inventions and going off on imperialist adventures. This prototypical novella has the racism for which the genre is infamous – plenty of savages get massacred in the pursuit of our heroes' avarice – but the aspect of adventure has endured because it's darn good fun (these days we just substitute robots and aliens for aborigines, and try not to let our consciences trouble us). There are echoes of contemporaries Mark Twain and L Frank Baum in Ellis's blend of life out west and mad American fantasy. It's another nineteenth-century US fairytale: born of the prairies and hurtling towards the future.
September 1, 2016
Loved this!!! Originally written in the 1860's this was science fiction and adventure writing at it's best! Written as Pulp fiction,dime novels these were originally called edisonades, books that encourage interest in invention and science. The young inventor in this book is a boy with dwarfism who in his solitude has created a mechanical man powered by steam - sort of an upright locomotive. A prospector and businessman hears of the boy's invention and convinces him to take the steam man out to the prairie to prospect for gold. They meet wild Indians along the way, scaring them out of their moccasins. They have all sorts of adventures. The novel is great fun and I hope Dodo Press plans to reprint more of these tales.
Good Clean fun!!!!!
Good Clean fun!!!!!
July 24, 2016
As an early introduction to one of the first mechanical men, this dated dialogue was actually well-done and insightful for characterizing an inhuman element. While not a page turner, I picked up this book in order to read one of the earliest editions of “steampunk”.
And that’s being pretty generous with the word.
All in all, I enjoyed reading something over 100 years old that reflected the creativity at that time.
And that’s being pretty generous with the word.
All in all, I enjoyed reading something over 100 years old that reflected the creativity at that time.
September 11, 2020
This was a pretty good story for what it was. I thought it was funny how many stereotypical "wild west" problems they ran into; American Buffalo, Native Americans, Grizzly Bears. Building a giant man out of metal that ran on steam is also pretty goofy. But it was fun to read anyway. I made my high school Science Fiction class read it too.
April 30, 2016
Western/Edisonian adventure story about genius inventor and his steam powered machine. I didn't think the writing was very good.
October 23, 2022
Although sometimes miscredited as the first novel involving a robot, the titular steam man of this dime novel is in fact not in any shape or form an autonomous robot. While "The Big Hunter; or, The Steam Man of the Prairies" can with some merit be called the first American science fiction novel, the mechanical man of the story is simply a man-shaped locomotive pulling a cart instead of a train.
The Steam Man of the Prairies is better known as a series of dime novels about Frank Reade, written by Frank Tousey and published in the late 19th century , but the metallic juggernaut was in fact created by Edward S. Ellis, the author renowned for his juvenile adventure novels about Deerfoot the Indian. And in truth the book is closer in style and content to the popular cowboys and Indians stories published in the era, than to Jules Verne (even if Verne later published a novel with the same premise, albeit with a mechanical elephant).
The novel sets out some great characters, as it revolves around the hunter and Indian killer Baldy, whose nickname derives from the fact that his hair won't grow back after having been scalped by and Indian, and a young boy with a growth impediment called Johnny, who is a mechanical genius. Johnny is he one who builds the steam man, merely out of boredom, and is all too happy setting out on a journey with it alongside Baldy. Unfortunately the story that unfolds is a rather uninspired tale of bear hunting and Indian attacks, which never elevates above the standard redskins and cowboys dime novel yarn. One interesting quirk is that Ellis insists on writing extremely thick accents phonetically, which makes the text almost unintelligible at times. The descriptions of the steam man is wonderfully rendered, and Ellis handles his characters and his slapstick with an entertaining panache. It's just a shame that he couldn't think of a more interesting story to place them in. Notable for being an early steampunk novel.
The Steam Man of the Prairies is better known as a series of dime novels about Frank Reade, written by Frank Tousey and published in the late 19th century , but the metallic juggernaut was in fact created by Edward S. Ellis, the author renowned for his juvenile adventure novels about Deerfoot the Indian. And in truth the book is closer in style and content to the popular cowboys and Indians stories published in the era, than to Jules Verne (even if Verne later published a novel with the same premise, albeit with a mechanical elephant).
The novel sets out some great characters, as it revolves around the hunter and Indian killer Baldy, whose nickname derives from the fact that his hair won't grow back after having been scalped by and Indian, and a young boy with a growth impediment called Johnny, who is a mechanical genius. Johnny is he one who builds the steam man, merely out of boredom, and is all too happy setting out on a journey with it alongside Baldy. Unfortunately the story that unfolds is a rather uninspired tale of bear hunting and Indian attacks, which never elevates above the standard redskins and cowboys dime novel yarn. One interesting quirk is that Ellis insists on writing extremely thick accents phonetically, which makes the text almost unintelligible at times. The descriptions of the steam man is wonderfully rendered, and Ellis handles his characters and his slapstick with an entertaining panache. It's just a shame that he couldn't think of a more interesting story to place them in. Notable for being an early steampunk novel.
July 22, 2023
Приятна и изненадваща комбинация от стиймпънк и приключенски уестърн ни очаква в една сякаш позабравена от света ретро класика, която излиза за първи път на български език като част от поредицата „Библиотека „Прометей“ на изд. „Ерове“. „Огромният ловец или парният гигант от прериите“ на Едуард С. Елис ни среща с една необичайна дружина от разнообразни авант��ристи, които в търсене на бленуваното злато ще се изправят пред редица опасности срещу които често им помага едно невероятно изобретение! Прочетете ревюто на „Книжни Криле“: https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/202...
March 23, 2023
Steam Man's merit remains for the historical interest of American Science-Fiction and a prototype story of the Steampunk subgenre.
The concepts presented are exceptionally imaginative (especially for the time) but the story itself lacks drive and the narrative is too piecemeal. The prose says a lot without saying anything.
The influence of the titular Steam Man on other robotic creations later down the pipeline of pop culture is apparent, but this is all it really has going for it.
The concepts presented are exceptionally imaginative (especially for the time) but the story itself lacks drive and the narrative is too piecemeal. The prose says a lot without saying anything.
The influence of the titular Steam Man on other robotic creations later down the pipeline of pop culture is apparent, but this is all it really has going for it.
November 11, 2020
mindless western written for children that contains one of the earliest (if not the earliest) examples of mecha tech, complete with all the racism typical of the time. "the huge hunter" doesnt refer to the steam man but rather a rival trapper who is introduced as a possible point of conflict that is immediately dropped
October 11, 2022
Reads like a dime store adventure. A lot of action with weak characters. The blatant racism in the language will be hard to stomach for someone of modern sensibilities. Worth reading if for nothing else than the glimpse into the mid 19th century mindset.
April 1, 2011
An early american sci fi novel and for this I read the project gutenburg kindle edition...it's not the greatest novel in the world and is akin to one of those so/so childrens yarns that used to find place in 'Boys own' type annuals.
The premise is fine one of a steampowered Robot in the american outback and I think the story is one that could be adapted by Hollywood in the future and given an 'Iron Giant' type twist..sadly however the plot doesn't grip ,the dialogue isn't great and is reliant on regional accents which makes for a confused read and ultimately the story(alike the steam man himself!!)chugs along at a very slow pace.
I did like the fact that this is 'Steampunk' before 'Steampunk' but other than that.........?
The premise is fine one of a steampowered Robot in the american outback and I think the story is one that could be adapted by Hollywood in the future and given an 'Iron Giant' type twist..sadly however the plot doesn't grip ,the dialogue isn't great and is reliant on regional accents which makes for a confused read and ultimately the story(alike the steam man himself!!)chugs along at a very slow pace.
I did like the fact that this is 'Steampunk' before 'Steampunk' but other than that.........?
January 31, 2015
Not the greatest thing I've ever read but you can't go too far wrong with a story about a giant steam driven robot.
December 18, 2012
Dipped into this as it is set in a period I was researching. Didn't read much of it. Didn't look very good.
July 12, 2018
Wow, and people say Huckleberry Finn is racist! But on the other hand I liked the gay couple that befriended the main character.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews