The Half-made World

An interesting addition to the steampunk world, one that re-imagines the classic American West with a steampunk twist. This one is action-packed and has one of the more unique world-building conceits I’ve read yet. The basic premise to this story is that the world is not yet finished – on the furthest boundaries of the world, the creation has been put on standby while the two demon powers of the world, the Gun and the Line, battle it out, using humans as their soldiers and distinct technology. The Line are demon-driven, steam-powered locomotive engines that control humans while the Gun are demons that imbue a few chosen humans with supernatural reflexes (think the lone American gun slingers with supercharged powers) and magic-powered guns to fight off the numerically and technically superior Line forces. I found this novel a unique take on the steampunk genre and an action-packed read, for those looking for some action steampunk that combines magic and technology.