Autosmith Clement Dyer wants to create his life-like, mechanical animals in peace. He's tired of being badgered about selling his business to his long-time rival and former lover, Duke Goodwin. He also craves appreciation for his living works of art.
Unfortunately, not all of Clement's clients see his clockwork creations the way he does, and a prominent but dissatisfied customer threatens to sink his struggling business into the ground.
Author's Note: this book was originally published in 2016. This independently published edition contains no additional content.
As I've stated before I don't get the whole "steampunk" terminology, to me it's all just science fiction but that's just me. This is not my first Elliot Cooper read but had it been I can honestly say it wouldn't be my last. The author has a way of creating characters and building worlds that is very easy to grasp and completely lose oneself in and seeing as The Clockwork Menagerie is a novella, that isn't an easy thing to accomplish.
The shortness of the story is only quantity, it is the quality of the writing that makes this one a keeper. You can't help but love poor Clement and his automaton animals. As someone who grew up on the farm I can't really see wanting an automaton animal but having become a townie I can see the appeal for one in smaller living quarters😉😉 He may be in a bit of a financial pickle at the moment thanks to an unhappy customer but it doesn't keep him down, okay maybe he's a bit down at times but it doesn't make him quit. You know something is brewing that will turn his life around but its the journey that gets him there that makes this short novella special.
So if you don't usually read steampunk or sci-fi in general I would still recommend giving The Clockwork Menagerie a read because its a delightful second chance tale that is definitely worth your time.
RATING:
Author Bio:
Elliot Cooper is all about happy endings and positive queer rep in genre fiction – specifically subgenres of romance and erotica. His stories range from sweet to scorching hot, light to dark, humorous to serious, and everything in between. He loves to experiment with genre mash-ups and old favorite tropes, turning some on their heads, meeting others head-on.
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