Stuff I Read: The Clockwork Dynasty by Daniel H. Wilson

An anthropologist stumbles upon a piece of fascinating technology, advanced and ancient at the same time, inside of a clockwork doll. She soon finds herself thrust into a centuries-old war between two factions of immortal mechanical beings with dire implications for intelligent life. Embrace the secret history of our world in Daniel H. Wilson’s 2017 novel, The Clockwork Dynasty.

The Clockwork Dynasty by Daniel H. Wilson

As a child, June Stefanov was granted a story and a gift by her Russian grandfather upon seeing an old relic in one of his old toolboxes. June’s grandfather tells her a story about his service in World War II, his doomed battalion in their final battle, and the “angel” that saved him. The angel handed him the relic she found and told him to protect it. He had always thought he would give it to her, because of her curious mind. After his death, June’s grandfather bequeathed her the key to that toolbox and the relic inside. Decades later, June—now an anthropologist focusing on ancient technology—is dispatched to a Russian church in Oregon by a mysterious benefactor. She is shown to a life-sized, childlike doll with intricate clockwork innards, several hundred years old. Upon figuring out how to get the gears working again, she discovers the doll is an “Avtomat,” an ancient robot rumored to be common in Tsar Peter I’s court. That bit of information puts her within the crosshairs of several long-lived robots desperate to continue living and keep their existence secret. She’s then rescued by Peter, an Avtomat compelled to protect people, and the “angel” from her grandfather’s war story. Peter is already on a quest to locate and reunite with his long-lost “sister,” and June’s relic—the one he gave to her grandfather—is a key to that. They travel the world together, hunting for Peter’s missing sister, unraveling the secrets of an ancient race of machines, and trying to stay one step ahead of the desperate, murderous Avtomat who are trying to find out what June knows.

As with the previous two novels by Daniel H. Wilson I’ve had the pleasure of reading, Robopocalypse and Robogenesis, The Clockwork Dynasty weaves multiple plots into a compelling narrative with a thoroughly intriguing backstory. We alternate between Peter and June’s present-day adventures and Peter’s past, starting with the moment he woke up on a machinist’s table in 1725 and ending in World War II. Peter is the more exciting character by far; equal parts Pinocchio and Terminator, we get a compelling musing about what it means to have a soul and what it means to have lost your purpose. If you were tasked with protecting one specific person, for instance, and that person dies, do you protect everyone after that, or no one? June serves as the reader’s window into the present state of affairs in the shadow world Peter inhabits, as everything she learns about these ancient, sentient machines throws the entire narrative of recorded history into question and leaves her wondering about humanity’s true place in it.

While I did enjoy this novel, I did find that the plot was a bit forgettable. When I started writing this review, I found that I had little recollection of this story that I enjoyed so much. I had to do a quick, cursory re-read to bring myself back up to speed, and that doesn’t normally happen. Granted, I first read this book back in December of last year and a lot has happened since then, but me forgetting story details is an abnormal experience. I can still recall the trials of Brightboy Squad in Robopocalypse, for instance, and I read that years ago. Upon rereading, I still loved The Clockwork Dynasty and still found myself moved by it but was more impressed by Wilson’s earlier aforementioned work. Those two experiences took their time immersing you in that world. The Clockwork Dynasty moves at a much faster pace and it can be hard to keep track of some of the more important plot points.

The Clockwork Dynasty is an entertaining read that will get you through one of Fall’s chillier, rainier weekends. It moves fast and covers a lot of ground, but do try to make sure to savor the story, or it might not stick.

Pros: Quick read, great backstory and world building, complex plot. Impressively detailed, considering how fast it moves.

Cons: Don’t read too fast or you might not retain important bits of info.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.