I must admit, my exposure to steampunk has been rather limited over these last several years.
That isn’t to say I don’t hold an appreciation for it. Authors like Jules Verne and H.G. Wells were both titanic influences during my childhood, all in a time where I wasn’t even aware of what science-fiction was capable of. The Time Machine, in particular, was one of the first books I ever read, and since then my love for speculative fiction was born. Verne, on the other hand, all but cemented my love for pulp literature as well as the wonder of scientific discovery.
In that sense, you could say that I’m aware of the classics. However, I would still maintain that I’m only a novice in the field of steampunk as a whole. My exposure since has been rather limited, with the only other examples of note being bits and pieces from the game series Thief along with the Leviathan book trilogy.
Yet after this last week’s worth of reading, I can also safely say that I’ve been properly introduced to Bound for the Styx - author Bonsart Bokel’s second novel within his Association of Ishtar series. The latest entry is not without its own share of faults, though these are all swiftly overshadowed by the book’s undeniable positives.
The story itself takes place as part of an alternate timeline for Earth, or Atlus as it’s called here. Within this uncanny reality we follow Igraine Murtoba, an agent of the Association of Ishtar who’s looking to cure her mysterious illness. This journey quickly takes her to a massive object looming high in orbit overhead. And from there she enters the dark and foreboding world of Hades, where the mysterious city of Arkology stands paramount. Hopefully here she might find a cure, that is, if she can even hope to survive long enough to find one.
Even though Bound for the Styx is really my first deep-dive into Association of Ishtar, I must confess how easy it was to become captivated right from the beginning. This is definitely helped out by the artwork, which is rendered in loving detail throughout nearly each and every chapter. Igraine is also both a cunning and endearing protagonist to grow with, precisely because of her many and unique quirks. A huge part of the fun comes from us seeing just how a timid soul can learn to survive within such a harsh environment. Igraine struggles, she makes hard decisions and is forced to deal with the consequences, whether they be for better or worse.
And damn it, her conversations with Anwin are just adorable.
All of this ends up feeding into the greater concept of Arkology as a whole, not to mention its mysterious lord Founder. I cannot overstate just how unique of a setting this is, especially for a subgenre that’s become so well-acquainted with its stylings of gears, steampower, flying gondolas, etc. Bound for the Styx doesn’t so much eschew these ideas as it twists them to fit its own creative ends. For instance, instead of the light, airy mood that’s normally associated with your average steampunk tale, the realm of Hades by contrast feels dark, hopeless, and despairing. There’s still very much an aura of mystery and adventure to be had here, though it often feels like Hades itself is out to claim anyone who would dare venture too far into its depths.
In some cases, influences from other genres can also be felt, such as space era sci-fi and even a healthy dose of horror. All fun and exciting elements, if I do say so myself.
However, the city is reflected most by its denizens. Oftentimes scavengers (or scavs, as they’re called) will alternate between a plethora of languages whilst they converse - most of them being known except for a few outliers. All of this really adds to the idea that Arkology is an amalgamation of dead worlds set across various timelines. And though in places the dialogue can feel like it’s leaning just a little too heavily into its own fictional slang, for the most part it serves as a stark reminder of where these people are living.
The narrative also doesn’t forget to set aside some time for romance. By and large, these sequences were a rather nice and welcome change in pace, and the added character development for Igraine - as well as her fellow romantic interest(s) - was all certainly appreciated.
Although I found myself enjoying the romance subplot as a whole, still there were certain scenes that bugged me. Without going into much detail, there was one scav who ended up experiencing a major paradigm shift as part of Igraine’s actions. Normally, this wouldn’t have been a problem if the lasting consequences were fleshed out just a little more. As it stands, these more intimate moments did make for compelling reading material, even though I think more could have been done to work it into the greater narrative.
I also came across a few repeat instances of paragraphs - pretty much all of them lying at the end of chapters - though admittedly these were minor annoyances when compared to what is otherwise an engrossing read.
Now as part of this review, I was fortunate enough to get my hands on Arkology Companion. As it’s advertised within the Kickstarter page, this booklet contains a collection of five short-stories along with some extra artwork. Ever find yourself wanting to learn more about Arkology as well as the mysterious tower overhead? You’ll find more of that here. Curious as to what the Founder’s origin and overall goal is? That is also explored.
In particular, I really enjoyed the contrast in tone between Bound for the Styx and these stories. This is mainly because both are presented in entirely different formats. Whereas the former is told in more of a classic pulp literature style, the latter is more in line with case-files seen as part of the SCP Foundation. If you’re a fan of tales spun in that particular vein, then you will likely enjoy yourself just as much as I did. Like before, there was also the occasional hiccup in editing to be found, though the number of instances here was much less so.
If you are at all curious about checking out a steampunk novel that isn’t afraid to take risks and turn heads, then it’s hard not to recommend Bound for the Styx. The characters, style, and unique world-building all make up for the odd blemish in places, and it’s a journey that I would endorse for all my fellow kipps, scavs, and totoks out there.
Just remember to keep your chandelier about you.
You can learn more about Bonsart Bokel as well as Bound for the Styx here on Kickstarter.