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The intriguing and unusual fantasy continues, with interesting characters, a gritty feel, fragile love and a lot of fighting amid a world torn apart by human alchemy and inhuman design.
Reviewed by David on May 09, 1999
Genre: Fantasy (Weird Science, Alternate Reality, Intrigue, Historical, War, Conspiracy Theory, Demons)
Synopsis: In the beginning of 18th century, the world has taken a left turn: just 40 years ago, Sir Isaac Newton has discovered not only modern calculus and the laws of motion, but also the foundations of Alchemy. In the middle of an "industrial revolution" driven by rapid advances in alchemy, the history has diverged drastically from our own. Among the amazing innovations in communications, convenience and medicine, unsurprisingly, the most progress has been made in the tools of destruction. Spurred by inhuman influence and the passion of war, a terrible weapon devastates much of Europe. In the desolate, barbaric remains of Europe, the Ottoman and Russian empires strive for domination.
The novel follows Adrienne, a talented young Frenchwoman barely surviving the fall of France, and learning to use her formerly impractical mathematical skills in alchemical warfare to protect herself and her friends.
In the meantime, the young colonial Ben Franklin travels with his enigmatic Master, the unnaturally rejuvenated Sir Isaac Newton, from one doomed city to another.
Full Review: Newton's Canon introduced a fascinating but plausible world where the basic laws of Alchemy have been discovered, and new marvels are created not through blind experimentation but through mathematics and engineering. The alchemy is powerful but obeys certain Aristotelian laws, much like the Art in Melissa Scott's excellent The Roads of Heaven.
While Ben and Adrienne travel their own, separate but desperate paths through the war-torn Europe, the American colonies, cut off from their mother countries, temporarily form a fragile alliance between the French and English, Pirate and Indian, to send an expedition to find what happened to the Old World. The devastation they find is accompanied by the increased menace of the Invisible World: one filled with beings that may be Angels, Demons or Fairies, but which few can perceive. It seems the humankind's discovery of the Aetheric world has allowed the beings that dwell there to influence our world. And many of the denizens have little love for humanity.
In the perilous flight, the author leavens pain and fear with an occasional pinch of contentment, humor and even pleasure. This makes the headlong adventure of the main protagonists, Ben and Adrienne both more enjoyable and more suspenseful.
The book features significant development of both its heroes and the technology, while keeping things consistent and, in general, believable. Some of the secondary characters are less well-drawn, but not entirely cartoon-like. The machinations of the Aetheric beings are increasingly pervasive, and the few humans that study them, including Newton and Adrienne, race desperately to master their principles, the "Calculus of Angels" as they steer the humanity toward destruction.
The book concludes with a devastating battle, and a partial resolution. On the whole, this novel is remarkably well crafted, and presents an original, consistent world. There are rather too many characters and plot lines, which puts a strain on the reader, although many of them converge by the end of the book. Along with His Dark Materials, this is one of the most refreshingly original "Weird Science" series in recent years. I recommend Calculus along with its prequel.
Overall: 6.5; Plot: 7; Characters: 6.5; Style: 6; World-building: 7; Originality: 7;
Copyright date 1999, Ballantine Publishing Group (Del Rey), April 1999, Trade paperback, 406 pages
ISBN: 0-345-40607-9 Order from: Amazon.com Barnes & Noble.com