I blazed through this book in a couple of days. I loved that it explored a steampunky world being changed by a new source of energy, upsetting a precariously balanced applecart. The socio-economic underpinning gave steampunk a fresh take in a Second World setting.

The main characters - Alf and Rich - played well with and against each other, backed up by a solid cohort of supporters, opponents, and various others. The world of grit and steam, of science and wish, of rich and poor felt like one I could step into and - if not find my way - at least know who to ask. The story itself twisted and turned just enough to keep me engaged and not so much that it felt gratuitous.

Too often steampunk gets treated like a genre instead of an aesthetic. In The Diamond Device, M. H. Thaung uses the steampunk aesthetic - airships, steam-powered vehicles, and fantastical devices - as a lens focused on humanity in this often light-hearted but quite serious look at how technology and people relate.

Highly Recommended.

I reviewed another book by this author a few days ago: books.theunseen.city/user/nlowell/review/67754/s/ive-got-a-secret#anchor-67754