The Difference Engine: A Novel1855: The Industrial Revolution is in full and inexorable swing, powered by steam-driven cybernetic Engines. Charles Babbage perfects his Analytical Engine and the computer age arrives a century ahead of its time. And three extraordinary characters race toward a rendezvous with history—and the future: Sybil Gerard—a fallen woman, politician’s tart, daughter of a Luddite agitator Edward “Leviathan” Mallory—explorer and paleontologist Laurence Oliphant—diplomat, mystic, and spy. Their adventure begins with the discovery of a box of punched Engine cards of unknown origin and purpose. Cards someone wants badly enough to kill for…. Part detective story, part historical thriller, The Difference Engine is the collaborative masterpiece by two of the most acclaimed science fiction authors writing today. Provocative, compelling, intensely imagined, it is a startling extension of Gibson’s and Sterling’s unique visions—and the beginning of movement we know today as “steampunk!” |
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Page 19
... Bloody right." He straightened. “And here's to you." He sipped his gin-twist. rolled it over his tongue with an unhappy look. and swallowed. “Never mind. dear—they've cut this with turpentine or I'm ajew." He stood up. They left. She ...
... Bloody right." He straightened. “And here's to you." He sipped his gin-twist. rolled it over his tongue with an unhappy look. and swallowed. “Never mind. dear—they've cut this with turpentine or I'm ajew." He stood up. They left. She ...
Page 22
... bloody word of it." “Why not?" “They're the bones of bloody giants, out of Genesis. That's what the clergy say, ain't it?" Sybil said nothing. Neither supposition struck her as the more fantastic. She turned to a second article, this ...
... bloody word of it." “Why not?" “They're the bones of bloody giants, out of Genesis. That's what the clergy say, ain't it?" Sybil said nothing. Neither supposition struck her as the more fantastic. She turned to a second article, this ...
Page 37
... bloody mind, though, don't he?" He paused. “The General will like him." Hours later, she woke in Grands, in bed beside him, to the click of his match and the sweet reek of his cigar. He'd had her twice on the chaise behind their table ...
... bloody mind, though, don't he?" He paused. “The General will like him." Hours later, she woke in Grands, in bed beside him, to the click of his match and the sweet reek of his cigar. He'd had her twice on the chaise behind their table ...
Page 38
... bloody palace, in Texas. Before the Texians threw him into exile, he was Britain's greatest ally in the American west. You and l, why, we could live like grandees in Texas, build a manor by some river. . . “Would they truly let us do ...
... bloody palace, in Texas. Before the Texians threw him into exile, he was Britain's greatest ally in the American west. You and l, why, we could live like grandees in Texas, build a manor by some river. . . “Would they truly let us do ...
Page 67
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Ada Byron Anthropometry asked Ballester-Molina began beneath Betteredge bills Bligh bloody brass Brian Brontosaurus BRUCE STERLING Captain Swing Charles Babbage cheroot clacker clerk coat Coughing crowd damned dark Disraeli door Edward Mallory Egremont Engine eyes face fellow felt file find fine fingers fire first five Fraser French gentlemen girl glanced glass Godwin gurney hand head Hetty Houston Huxley kerchief kinotrope knew lads Lady Ada Land Leviathan London look Lord Byron lory Luddite Mallory thought Mallory's Marquess matter Mick Mick's Mori Mori Arinori never nodded ofhis ofthe Oliphant Oliphant's Palace perhaps pistol Qliphant queer Radley Rads Reeks Rudwick savant scientific seemed shook shouted smiled sort steampunk Stink stood Street sure Swing Sybil Tate tell Texian There's thing Tobias took tugged turned Velasco voice Wakefield walked wall watched Whitechapel woman