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Clockwork Angels  By  cover art

Clockwork Angels

By: Neil Peart - contributor, Kevin J. Anderson
Narrated by: Neil Peart
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Publisher's summary

Audie Award Finalist, Package Design, 2014

I can’t stop thinking big....

International best-selling author Kevin J. Anderson teams up with Rush lyricist and drummer Neil Peart to expand the story set out in Clockwork Angels, the 20th studio album by the legendary rock band.

All the journeys of this great adventure -

It didn’t always feel that way

For more than two centuries, the land of Albion has been ruled by the supposedly benevolent Watchmaker, who imposes precision on every aspect of life. Young Owen Hardy from the village of Barrel Arbor dreams of seeing the big city and the breathtaking Clockwork Angels that dispense wisdom to the people, maybe even catching a glimpse of the Watchmaker himself.

I was brought up to believe....

He watches the steamliners drift by, powered by alchemical energy, as they head toward Crown City - never dreaming that he is already caught between the grandiose forces of order and chaos, between the Watchmaker and his nemesis, the Anarchist. Owen’s journeys begin at a fabulous carnival with clockwork wonders beyond his imagination, and take him aboard airships, far into the Redrock Desert to seek lost cities, through storms at sea to encounters with pirates...and give him a chance at love.

Clockwork Angels: The Novel is a remarkable, innovative story unlike any other.

The basis for this novel, Clockwork Angels: The Album by Rush, is available now at rush.com.

©2012 Kevin J. Anderson (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about Clockwork Angels

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!!

If you could sum up Clockwork Angels in three words, what would they be?

Imaginative Fun Thought-provoking(?)

What other book might you compare Clockwork Angels to and why?

Candide, you'll see.

What does Neil Peart bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Had no idea his speaking voice was so rich. He emoted enough to enhance without being indulgent. He may have a future in this profession if he can't get his music career rolling.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Yes, experience it for yourself.

Any additional comments?

I strongly recommend this book. It has many levels to enjoy and ponder.I have always wondered what talking with Neil Peart would be like. Now I have a quasi-idea. I have been a RUSH fan for decades, the lyrical Easter eggs in the text are so fun to discover."All is for the best"

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story and ties the songs in their album

What made the experience of listening to Clockwork Angels the most enjoyable?

Great story with an ending that I can relate to. I also liked the author's reference to lyrics in older Rush songs.

Any additional comments?

Very satisfying read and also enjoyed the reading by Neil Peart.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Fans of Rush will like this book...

The story was actually pretty good, my husband enjoyed it and I enjoyed it as well. It just wasn't the type of story that I normally prefer...

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Clock Works Angles

Would you try another book from Kevin J. Anderson and/or Neil Peart?

Yes. I have read books from both authors and wouldn't hesitate to do so again.

Would you be willing to try another one of Neil Peart’s performances?

Yes

Was Clockwork Angels worth the listening time?

Yes

Any additional comments?

First, I would like to give credit to the authors and ECW Publishing for offering a complimentary e book to all readers who purchased the hardcover. Not only was it effortless to download but the customer service was excellent.

The whole idea of supporting an album (Rush: Clockwork Angels) with a novel is not only unique but extremely creative. The partnership of Anderson/Peart/Syme makes the entire package a great experience for the reader and fan.

The storyline was reminiscent of Ayn Rand's "Anthem" and Rush's "2112" with the individual facing deciding between individualism and collectivism. The surprise though was that our main protaganist, Owen Hardy, was able to persevere and accept his fate and manage through it without having to change the world or set the world on fire.

I did find that the continuous use of Rush lines/lyrics a tad disruptive and somewhat cheesie for this reader as it distracted from the overall flow of the story. Instead of reading on, the reader stopped to pause and reflect on the many great songs Rush has recorded over the years. With that said, the use of the CA lyrics at the start of each chapter was extremely helpful in setting up each stage(s).

The books' ending was very well thought out and introspective ts to why Owen Hardy did what he did. And, to that end, the authors tended to their readers very well.

The CA package is extremely well done; with a good story line (Peart/Anderson), beautiful drawings (Hugh Syme), lyrics for each track of the album (Peart) and a great afterword from Peart to provide the backdrop for this working concept.

It is a story that young and old will enjoy.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

well done

Well done, well polished and well read. Look for the Rush lyrics spattered like Salt Bea on a t bone.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great collaberation and great story!

Pulls you in from the beginning and keeps you through the end. Neil's vision coming to fruition is both incredible and sad. So enjoyed the Neil and Kevin afterwards.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Light hearted fun.

Loved hearing the Rush Clockwork Angels lyrics popping up in many places here. Whimsical fun.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing Story and Narration

Would you listen to Clockwork Angels again? Why?

The story is so complex with so many references to songs and other great works of art that I would love to read again to catch all of them.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Clockwork Angels?

The main characters decision to hide an achievement to keep other people's dreams alive.

Which character – as performed by Neil Peart – was your favorite?

The clockmaker, although all the characters had unique voices that fit how you think that character should sound. The distinctness of the individual voices made the story very easy to follow.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, unfortunately it was broken up into three sittings for me and when I was not reading the book it was all I could think about.

Any additional comments?

I felt the same way after reading this book as the first time I read Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great story. not the best narration.

I have never been a great fan of Rush and their music but I decided to give this a try because Kevin J Anderson is one of my favorite sci-fi fantasy authors. I think the collaboration between Anderson and Peart worked quite well. The story was good; it moved along at a good pace and it was interesting but it was narrated as if the book were being read to a young child. This story might be okay as a children's story but I think it touches on issues that are beyond a young child's ability to comprehend. I am glad that I bought and listen to this book and now I'm planning to revisit Rush music with a more careful here to the message that music delivers.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Neil!

I was looking forward to this one, was not what I expected but still was entertaining. I thought it was a bit, almost childish at parts. I am a fan of the bands, and album... nice companion for the album.

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1 person found this helpful