Thunderer by Felix Gilman, a fantasy book

Denver Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Club

THUNDERER
by
FELIX GILMAN

Thunderer (2008)

Bantam hardcover
cover art by Stephen Youll
437 pages (left)

Bantam paperback
cover art by Stephen Youll
527 pages (right)

From the inside flap of the hardcover:
       Arjun arrives in Ararat just as a magnificent winged creature swoops and sails over the city. For it is the day of the return of that long-awaited, unpredictable mystical creature: the great Bird. But does it come for good or ill? And in the service of what god? Whatever its purpose, for one inhabitant the Bird sparks a long-dormant idea: to map the mapless city and liberate its masses with the power of knowledge.
       As the creature soars across the land, shifting topography, changing the course of the river, and redrawing the territories of the city's avian life, crowds cheer and guns salute in a mix of science and worship. Then comes the time for the Bird's power to be trapped -- within the hull of a floating warship called Thunderer, an astounding and unprecedented weapon. The ship is now a living temple to the Bird, a gift to be used, allegedly, in the interests of all of Ararat.
       Hurtled into this convulsing world is Arjun, an innocent who will unwittingly unleash a dark power beyond his imagining -- and become entangled in a dangerous underground movement that will forever transform Ararat. As havoc overtakes the streets, Arjun dares to test the city's moving boundaries. In this city of gods, he has come to search among them, not to hide.

From the back cover of the paperback:
       Arjun arrives in Ararat just as a magnificent winged creature sails over the city. It is the day of the return of that long-awaited, mystical creature: the great Bird. As it soars across the land, as the city's mapless streets are transformed, as the great river changes its course, as flocks take to the air, crowds cheer and guns salute.   Then comes the time for the Bird's power to be trapped -- within the hull of the floating warship Thunderer, now a living temple, and a terrible new weapon to be used, allegedly, in the interests of all of Ararat.
       Hurtled into this convulsing world is Arjun, who will unwittingly unleash a dark power beyond his imagining -- and dare to test Ararat's moving boundaries. For in this city of gods, he has come to search among them, not to hide.

Read for group discussion on May 13, 2009

RATINGS:
How we each rated this book

Dan	-	Amy	7	10 Wow! Don't miss it 8-9 Highly recommended 7 Recommended 5-6 Mild recommendation 3-4 Take your chances 1-2 Below average; skip it 0 Get out the flamethrower! U Unfinishable or unreadable - Skipped or no rating given
Cheri	-	Barb	-
Aaron	-	Cynthia	-
Jackie	-	Ron	4
Jennifer	4

Bibliography:
Felix Gilman (1974- ) is a fantasy writer living with his wife in New York City. He grew up in England.

Books:
-- Thunderer (2008), his first novel
-- Gears of the City (2009), sequel to Thunderer

Links:
Felix Gilman - official website
The SF Site Featured Review: Thunderer
Thunderer | Book Reviews | SCI FI Weekly
Locus Online Features: Locus Magazine's Faren Miller reviews Felix Gilman

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This page was last updated December 13, 2009