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The Immorality Engine

A Newbury & Hobbes Investigation
by George Mann
The Immorality Engine: A Newbury & Hobbes Investigation. Tor. Oct. 2011. c.352p. ISBN 9780765327758. $24.99. SF
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In this third series entry (after The Affinity Bridge and The Osiris Ritual), Sir Maurice Newbury, an agent of Queen Victoria and part-time opium addict, along with his secretary/love, Veronica Hobbes, faces an inexplicable mystery: how can Edwin Sykes—a thief with a distinctive MO—be committing crimes when his body is rotting in a London morgue? Mann's latest steampunk adventure aims to explore more deeply the occult aspects of his alternate England, with even greater focus than previously on the supernatural realm of possibilities. The endeavor is successful partly because of the continuing cinematic style of the prose, conveying the action in precise—though often gruesome—detail, with intriguing metaphors.
VERDICT Fans of the first two books will welcome this darkly suspenseful addition, but this particular title might appeal more to horror readers than those seeking steampunk-focused fiction. The book's epilog hints of tales to come.
Reviewed by Sara Marie Schepis, East Fishkill Community Lib., Hopewell Jct., NY , Oct 15, 2011
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