Steampunk Rocks

There simply aren’t enough steampunk fantasy novels about airships and pirates and zombies, which makes the work of Cherie Priest all the more precious. Her latest, Dreadnought, continues to explore the world introduced in her breakthrough novel Boneshaker, an alternate history that’s come to be known as “The Clockwork Century.” It’s a universe full of weird science and wonderful possibilities extrapolated from real happenings. “There are dirigible crashes and diesel-powered battle mechs and steampunk Texas Rangers and undead Mexican separatists and all kinds of fun stuff,” Priest says. “But it does actually begin with real history. I really like using real history when I can. It’s very interesting to me, and nothing I could ever make up is half so weird as stuff that has actually happened, so I like to play with that when I can.”

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Priest will be in town to read from, sign and talk about Dreadnought, which follows a young nurse as she travels through a Civil War-torn nation to meet her estranged father. Catch the author tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Tattered Cover Highlands Ranch, 9315 Dorchester Street. Admission is free, but you’ll want to own a signed copy of Dreadnought by the evening’s end. For more information, visit or call 303-470-7050.
Thu., Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m., 2010