All Made of Hinges (A Mormon Steampunk Anthology Book 1) by James Wymore

All Made of Hinges (A Mormon Steampunk Anthology Book 1) Reviews

• 
  Pat Patterson

  I've got some rationale and a cool graphic over on my blog. You can check that out
  at Papa Pat Rambles. However, please remember that you can only vote on the Amazon review at this present time. (That review won't post for a day or so.)
  
  Mere Pulp, by D. J. Butler. It's my understanding from reading the intro that D J Butler is the other primary mover of this anthology, for which we accord him due accord. He has written some EXCELLENT alternative history, published by Baen, in the "Witchy Eye" series, the last of which, Witchy Winter, was a finalist for the Dragon Award. The quality of writing extends here, in a plot/subplot/counterplot steampunk detective story, concerning a plot to reanimate the body of Brigham Young and purify/save the Church, and the non-believers can go jump in the lake.
  
  Marching On to Glory, by John M. Olsen. This one is exciting! It also manages to bring in the truth that military leaders frequently do not take into consideration the strengths and limitations of their troops when they make their plans for conquest. It's also a good example of that genre of literature which demonstrates that a prophecy may be fulfilled in more ways than one. Join the troops of the gigantic airship, as they make their way to battle the mechanized monsters of the South, and on the way get a glimpse of what the Eternal City must be like. This one, as others, makes lovely reference to the genius works of John Moses Browning, one of which is strapped to my right hip at the moment.
  
  A Strike To The Heart of the Cannon Lord, by Stephen L. Peck. It doesn't matter whether we are discussing steampunk, magic, Iron Age implements, or antimatter devices, SOME Bozo is going to find a way to make people miserable with it. And some force, even it dwindles down to a Remnant, will defy the Bozo. And someone is bound to fall in love, even in the middle of a war. In this case, the Bozo is the Cannon Lord, and his superior use of steampunk tech have prevailed, up until now. A pitiful handful makes the final assault.
  
  Avenger's Angel, by Elizabeth Mueller. She's just a poor orphan girl, down to one faithful retainer and the last bit of technology left to her by her father. Alas, whatever shall she do? Well, she can become a bounty hunter, using her feminine wiles to win the confidence of wicked evil-doers, and then clap the bracelets on them, and turn them in for the reward. Lately, though, a tall, dark, and handsome stranger, mysteriously costumed while remaining devastatingly gorgeous, is getting the drop on her, and shooting the bad guys before she can turn them in. Alas, whatever shall she do? (Hint: she isn't gonna quit.)
  
  Ganesh, by Scott E. Tarbet. It is ingrained into the nature of men under arms, or engaged in some other death-defying career, that when the moment for rest comes about, they talk about what brought them to the place where they are. This is one of those conversations, more engaging than many. That it takes place between a sentient airship and a mecha-man is irrelevant; the best parts are still about fidelity and love. I couldn't say whether this story is most similar to Kipling, Jack London, or O. Henry, but it has that pleasing comfort those stories can bring.
  
  The Pipes of Columbia, by Jay Barnson. Premise: the steel of Deseret has properties not found in other metals. In this case, it is the acoustical properties that are of particular value to a miscreant. A lovely lady in distress reaches out for help to a man crushed beyond endurance. And then, we have a very fine detective story.
  
  Napoleon's Tallest Teamster, by Joe Monson. Dippel's Oil, in this universe, is more than an obsolete animal and insect repellent. It actually acts as a restorative agent, which permits the construction of reanimated men with mechanical enhancements. However, although the substance may generate activity, it is the actions and ethics of the Teamster that drives the story. The loyalty and determination that drives him is thus entirely his own creation, and may thus commend to his Ultimate Maker, those his earthly maker find him repellent. Nicely based on real events taking place in those years when France was having more difficulty than usual.
  
  Reversals of Fortune, by Amanda Hamblin. It is in this story that I found my ignorance of Mormon history to strike the hardest. From the descriptions, I get the feeling that these characters represent actual persons; if not, then they are singularly well-drawn. A dark-skinned Methodist girl, on her way to Italy, to work with their advances in steam technology, intercepts a young white girl whom she believes is intent on some sort of sabotage. Two Mormon evangelists look on, and render what assistance they can.
  
  The Machinations of Angels, by Christopher McAfee. This is a ghost story. There is a moderate amount of Mormon references and steampunk devices, but the essential nature is that of BOO! What would YOU do if an angel appeared, offering technology thought to be lost forever? We may not be able to count the number of angels who can dance on the head of a pin; in fact, COUNTING appears to be one of the last things you will want to do with angels. (Spine-tingle!)
  
  The Best Among Us, by Jace Killian. The details of the story include steampunk elements, such as airships, steam-powered guns, and mechanical legs. However, it's the message of alienation, repentance, and restoration which set this apart.
  
  Strange Pilgrims, by John D. Payne. A house elf and a robot walk into a bar...
  Well, it's not a bar, it's a cargo hold. However, they DO strike up a conversation, just as strangers will sometimes do in a bar. What is the nature of man? It almost always comes down to that, doesn't it?
  
  Tracting Out Cthulhu, by Lee Allred. (Did you ever want to write Cat Hewell Hugh, and then get into an argument about the correct spelling? Never mind.) This installment has the best bad guys, and what might be the best good guys, and the goofiest pun. You'll know the pun when you get to it; it's the name of a robot. The heroes include Japanese schoolgirls, and genius John Moses Browning is respected for his works, one of which I have strapped to my right hip at the moment. The sufficiently advanced steampunk technology is indistinguishable from magic, and a wicked-efficient airship captain spits tobacco. Nasty human bad guys are attempting to restore Cthulhu to power, and their location is hidden, and must be determined by sending Mormon missionaries door-to-door. Help! Help! The world is under attack!
  
• 
  Benjamin Fife

  Momon Steampunk? Is that a thing?
  The short answer - Yes!
  I have just finished the audiobook narration of this for Audible & wanted to review it for those who might be considering it.
  When I saw this title available for audition, I had the same reaction most everyone has when they read the title & subtitle. I snickered.
  
  " I’m all made of hinges, ’cause ev’rything bends
  
  From the top of my neck way down to my ends.
  
  I’m hinges in front, and I’m hinges in back;
  
  But I have to be hinges, or else I would crack!" - Aileen Fisher (click here to hear it if you don't know it)
  
  If you grew up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, you undoubtedly sang this song as a kid. Its a perfect name for a Steampunk anthology. Hinges. Moving parts, bizarre undertones of "or else I would crack!" (I had a friend in high school who really thought as a kid that if someone touched his belly button, his arms & legs would fall off, but I digress).
  
  You don't have to be Mormon or a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to appreciate the stories in this anthology, though. You'll get a few more of the jokes, but as with most steampunk, it's a very alternative view of history. As with all good sci-fi, you start with a "what if" and go from there. And some go a lot further than others.
  
  This was the first compilation of short stories I auditioned for, and in doing so, I initially thought, "I'll try this once, but it's probably not for me."
  
  I was wrong.
  
  I loved producing this book, in large part because I got to change styles, moods, voicings so much from one story to another. I'd do another one in a heartbeat. Here's a brief rundown of the stories:
  
  - Mere Pulp, No Less - by DJ Butler
  
  Somebody has the disturbing idea of reanimating Brigham Young's corpse (2nd president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - He's the guy who led them to Utah) via gears & automation.
  
  -Marching on to Glory- by John M Olsen
  
  The Mormon Battalion going to fight in the Spanish American war - With a battle Blimp.
  
  -A Strike to the Heart of the Canon Lord- by Steven L Peck
  
  Kind of a 1800's early 1900's Post apocalyptic feel. This one is kind of heavy, but incredibly well written. Zombies, mechanical wolves, evil overlords. Romantic interludes. Its got it all. This is one that in reading it, I'm sure the author has the entire culture & history worked out & we just get a snapshot of it. But it's a great snapshot. I'd love to do another one in his universe.
  
  -Avenger's Angel- by Elizabeth Mueller
  
  A sassy British female bounty hunter competes with Steampunk-enhanced Porter Rockwell. Fun story from her perspective. (The number of stories in the anthology told from the perspective of folks who are not Mormon makes this fairly delightful, and I think, more approachable by folks who are less familiar with our actual history.)
  
  -Ganesh- by Scott E Tarbet
  
  This is another one of my favorites from the anthology. Ganesh tells his story. He's a blimp. Kidnapped by the Great & Powerful Oz (Ozzie Osmond - Delightfully combining Ozzie Osborne with Donny Osmond with L. Frank Baum's Wizard) as a teenager, Ganesh eventually becomes a blimp. No more spoilers than that for this one. Well written, weird, and so on.
  
  -The Pipes of Columbia - by Jay Barnson
  
  This one is possibly a little more like Guy Noire. Maybe more of Guy Noire combined with Lefty, meets up with a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the Worlds Fair & Hypnosis expert crime bosses.
  
  - Napoleon's Tallest Teamster- by Joe Monson
  
  Ok. Full disclosure here. I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO A FRENCH ACCENT ANY KIND OF JUSTICE BEFORE THIS STORY. I love Victor Hugo. I love Charles Dickens. I love Jane Eyre. They all have french stuff in them. When I've gotten to those parts and I've been reading aloud to my family, they know I kind of become the deer in the headlights. I don't speak french. I have never aspired to speak french. I love french history & culture, but the language always gets garbled somewhere on the back of my tongue. When I auditioned for this book, there was nothing saying there were any french passages. So when I was pre-reading it after I signed the contract & saw that the main character reads a passage of scripture written in french, my reaction was 'NOOOOOOOoooo....." Fortunately, my father in law served a mission in Paris & speaks french. I probably still butchered it, but I did my best to copy what he did syllable by syllable.
  
  So - the story - I loved it. The main character is an automaton/steampunk android who like Vincenzo Di Francesca, finds a copy of the Book of Mormon, not knowing what it is & decides to live according to its principles. He also happens to be a guard for Napoleon's family in the middle of the French Revolution. I think I did pretty good on the accent, but you be the judge.
  
  -Reversals of Fortune- by Amanda Hamblin
  
  This is another good one told from the perspective of a black American girl who knows nothing about Mormonism who happens to get stuck in a life threatening position with a pair of early missionaries & a young british aristocrat who "dabbles in the mechanical arts." Well written, & some good humor thrown in.
  
  -Machinations of Angels- by Christopher McAfee
  
  So this one is possibly the one that might be the most helpful to know some church history for. That being said, I'm pretty sure the angels in this story aren't exactly doctrinally sound. But it's a fun story about technologically enhancing divine trinkets sent from God to help man on earth. Bit of a mad scientist kind of romp.
  
  -The Best Among Us- by Jace Killan
  
  Another Porter Rockwell Story, but a little less Doctor Who & a little more Oregon trail hunting with a blimp & divine compass.
  
  -Strange Pilgrims- by John D. Payne
  
  This is my favorite story of the bunch. In some ways its the simplest & definitely the most whimsical, but I loved doing it. John incorporates European Mytho-folklore with Steampunk. There are only 2 characters in this story & I love them both. Classic meeting in the cargo section of a moving train. It just made me smile the whole time I was narrating it. John's written a sequel that I hope to read sometime. (Think Volume 4 of a Mormon Steampunk anthology here, Immortal works).
  
  -Tracting out Cthulhu- by Lee Allred
  
  This story is the most epic in scope. In some ways it reminds me of Timothy Zahn's Quadrail Series (Shoutout - Mr. Zahn if you're looking for someone to narrate it or any of your other stuff, I'D LOVE TO!) This story has the Mormon CIA, meeting up with Shinto mystics & missionaries "tracting" are in fact agents on a mission to save the world from creepy evil ancient mind controlling, doppleganger creating, overlords. A fun romp that makes me want to enter into the universe created by Mr. Allred again.
  
  So that's my rundown. You can see more of my books & upcoming material at
  www.bennyfifeaudio.com.
  
• 
  Conor Hilton

  First, I love that this (and the subsequent volumes) exists! Delightful.
  
  Not every story is great, but all of them have something interesting to say about Mormonism (if nothing else at least in what the story chooses to focus on and how it uses Mormonism in the imaginative steampunk world). And none of the stories are bad. And quite a few of them are wonderful, with 2-3 just stand-out incredible engaging, page-turning stories. Lots to love here if you're interested in what Mormonism is and what it could be, transhumanism in a Mormon context, and the general relationship between spirituality and technology. And if you like pulpy, steampunk adventures with funky twists (in this case, a Mormon twist).
  
  Particularly loved "Mere Pulp, No Less", "A Strike to the Heart of the Cannon Lord", "The Pipes of Columbia", "Reversals of Fortune", and "Strange Pilgrims". Though I also found "Machinations of Angels" to be FASCINATING and engrossing and really really interesting theologically and cosmologically, even though the writing was somewhat clunky and obvious.
  
  Though my all-time favorite of the bunch is probably the final story: "Tracting Out Cthulhu". LOVE LOVE LOVE this story. Would read a whole anthology of stories in this particular world. And would absolutely watch a film based on it, very cinematic in its telling.
  
  Anyway. Lots to appreciate here. Excited to read the other volumes!
• 
  Brian Kenison

  This exceeded all my expectations. Like all anthologies, some of the stories are better than others. But unlike other anthologies, I can't point to any story in the collection and say, "I didn't much like that one." All of these are gems, and well-polished ones at that. Four and a half stars.
• 
  Tristan McAfee

  Mixing gospel stories with steampunk may seem like it could be sacrilegious, but the authors avoided this with ease. The short stories were well executed and fun to read. My favorite was 'The Machinations of Angels' about a man who helps an angel modify the Urim and Thummim.
• 
  C.O. Bonham

  *Review of Audio edition*
  
  Steampunk what now?
  
  If you are like me, then you are still hung up on the sub title. A steampunk Mormon anthology? What on Earth is a steampunk Mormon?
  
  Well it turns out that answering that question is easier than expected. These are steampunk stories where at least one character is a Mormon.
  
  And like all anthologies, it's a sampler of different styles, tones, voices and plots. Most are light hearted with a humorous tone, but one or two are a little intense. The real surprise were the ones that were philosophical without talking about religion at all. Not what I expected from a Mormon anthology.
  
  These stories are all alternative history, so expect historical persons to make cameos and for some historical events to not have happened the way you thought. Some stories are just westerns with airships and others are Clockwork dystopias with zombie hoards.
  
  The steampunk elements were all really well done, and in most stories the Mormon element was barely noticeable. So I wouldn't let that hold you back from trying this anthology out. In fact if you're still holding back because of religion, don't. The characters that have the most faith are machines. And the only story that has angels is theologically incorrect. (If you ever meet angels that contradict each other, one of them is not an angel.)
  
  Narrator Benjamin Fife, is one that I've heard a lot from. He always brings a unique voice to every book he reads. No where is that most evident than in this anthology, where you can hear his reading style change for each story. Fife is also really good at accents, and these stories give him a wide range of accents to play with. His French and Japanese accents are new ones I got to hear.
  
  If you like steampunk everything then this anthology is sure to delight.
  
• 
  Paula Dyches

  Just not my thing...
  
  So, I am familiar with the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints... I was curious and have had people recommend that I try steampunk so I did.... I think it just comes down to it not being my genre. I found them to be strange mixtures and a bit creepy, weird and missing deeper development that you don't get in the short stories. The narrator did a good job but wasn't able to get me over the oddness of the content. It was too jarring for me personally to mix the secular steampunk and the religious lore of the church.
  
  —I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
• 
  Daniel Yocom

  As with many steampunk settings, All Made of Hinges crosses into different genres. The collection starts off with a story of intrigue within the religion. It captures historical moments with a steampunk twist and ends with a Cthulhu tale that stretches across the globe. Scattered amongst these are tales delving into human interests and weaknesses to others that give a different view of how life may have turned out.
  
  You can read the complete review at
  https://guildmastergaming.blogspot.co...
  
• 
  Jesse

  Thanks to StoryOrigin for the audiobook ARC!
  
  Steampunk is really hit or miss for me. And while some of the stories in this anthology amused and entertained me, the majority bordered on just tolerable. Really more of a 2.5 star read. I think the narration kind of saved the book in some ways, tipping the scales a little more toward the 3 star range overall. I did enjoy the author bios that accompanied each story, as I find that this always makes the experience more personal and less distant.
• 
  Georgia Tumbleweed McNabb

  All the stories had at least one Morman person in it. The various Stories are unique and unusual, but not being Morman I do not understand why they are at war.
  Recreating Birmingham Young as a Steampunk mechanical person seems weird.
  Narrator did a good job on this book as usual Benjamin Fife has a great voice.
• 
  Becca McCulloch

  High on tech and low on plot but thoroughly enjoyable. Interesting takes on an alternative history of Mormonism. I would’ve liked even more creativity as to how a change in tech might change a fringe culture.
• 
  Rachel Meyers

  Not for me.... Didn't get past the second chapter
• 
  Scott

  As author I decline to leave a star rating.
• 
  Kevin Folkman

  Mormon Steampunk. When I announced this name as a real genre to a couple of close friends, it elicited peals of laughter. Such a concept, it appears, had never occurred to them, despite both of them being intimately familiar with the culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and science fiction as a genre. I will have to admit myself to some surprise when I first heard the term a few years ago. As soon as I heard it, though, I recalled a phrase from the Book of Mormon, Jarom 1:8.
  
  “And we multiplied exceedingly, and spread upon the face of the land, and became exceedinglyrich in gold, and in silver, and in precious things, and in fine workmanship of wood, in buildings, and machinery, and also in iron and copper, and brass and steel, making all manner of tools….”
  
  That sounds like steampunk to me.
  
  It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that a speculative genre such as steampunk should take root in the fertile Mormon literary tradition. After all, Orson Scott Card, David Farland, Brandon Sanderson, and other Mormon authors have risen to the upper tiers of science fiction and fantasy. It may be that having an open canon and a tradition of continuing revelation lends itself to considering what may be or what may have been, with just a slight twist of fate.
  Entering into this world of “retro-futurism,” as one friend described it, are a trio of short story anthologies from Immortal Works press, a Utah based publisher of speculative and YA fiction. An initial call for submissions to create a single volume of Mormon steampunk stories turned into a three-volume series, mostly due to the high number of responses that the editors found worthy of inclusion. Editors James Wymore, John Olsen, and Dave Butler divided up the stories and each editor then took responsibility for one volume. This review is of the first in the series, “All Made of Hinges,” the title adapted from a beloved Primary song. (In the interest of full disclosure, this reviewer has a story included in the third volume, due out in March.)
  The elements of steampunk are simple. What would happen if technology had taken a different turn at some point in the past couple of hundred years, with steam-power usually as a driving force? It is not much of a leap from there to airships, automatons (robots), artificial limbs, highly innovative metals, and mechanical adaptations. In some cases, elements of alchemy and folk magic also play a part. It is easy to see how many of these elements fit nicely into a Mormon culture of the 19th century.
  In “All Made of Hinges,” edited by James Wymore, the reader is presented with a variety of stories, most by previously published LDS authors, such as Steven Peck, Scott Tarbet, Elizabeth Mueller, Amanda Hamblin, Lee Allred, and others. Dave Butler imagines a flesh and machine Brigham Young, kept alive beyond his death as part automaton, clothed in President Young’s body. John Olsen recounts a Mormon Battalion marching by airship across New Mexico. Elizabeth Mueller’s entry, “Avenger’s Angel,” places a masterful female bounty hunter competing against Porter Rockwell in pursuit of rewards for finding and ending the careers of dangerous criminals. Lee Allred, in the volume’s longest entry titled “Tracting out Cthulhu,” envisions a fully formed and formidable Nation of Deseret, using missionary tactics and alchemy to find and neutralize an ancient evil and the historical figures who would try to harness it. These are fun, intriguing, and entertaining stories, often with a bit of an edge. These are not necessarily children’s stories, yet fully embrace some of the foundations of Mormon Church history and theology. A Correlation Committee that operates more like the CIA? Check. An electrically enhanced Urim and Thummim? Real angels continuing the war in heaven in Nauvoo? This is the stuff that makes this volume work best.
  Some of the other stories are more steampunk, and less Mormon in culture, as if they were destined for another publisher, but had Mormon elements introduced just to qualify them for inclusion. Imagine a book of scripture in a vest pocket that stops bullets, but is never named, or an automaton airship built around a human host, that once passed through Great Salt Lake City, but whose adventures mostly center around British occupied India. These are still interesting, but with less of a foundation in Mormon theology or history, I found them less satisfying as part of this volume.
  The strength of these stories is in the familiar elements of our shared culture and history, twisted and turned in ways that are perhaps fantastic, but still recognizable. As always, the best speculative fiction uses technology or fantasy to turn mirrors on our own world, forcing us to look at ourselves and our communities from a different perspective. A collection like this can serve to stir our own imaginations to see what choices we make today might look like a few years in the future. Or in the past. Take your pick. The future, and the past, is as flexible as we dare in “All Made of Hinges.”