New Amsterdam Book Review
by ZW
In her world, the expansion of America was brought to a halt by the Iroquois war magic and Holland ceded New Amsterdam to England only during the Napoleonic Wars. Across the sea comes a vampire detective by the name of Sebastian de Ulloa, who is weary of life in Europe. Sebastian's traveling companion is the young but quite worldly Jack Priest, but soon they are joined by a Bostonian writer and Lady Abigail Garrett, a forensic sorceress and Crown Investigator. The first novella, Lucifugous, is perhaps the most straightforward, involve Sebastian and Jack in a murder mystery on their zepplin as it takes them to the New World, but as the reader continues, the world becomes more well rounded and the attachment to the cast of well developed characters only grows. The book culminates with the novella Lumiere, which is perhaps the most satisfying novella in the volume. Though occasionally the prose is a little dense, some of the plot resolutions do take a second reading to full grasp, this set of novellas is wholly enjoyable and can act as a terrific introduction to Bear's particular brand of speculative fiction. One of the strengths of this volume is the impressive world building. The world is one that stands up to close scrutiny and the history, despite diverging quite sharply from our own, is one that is sound. It suggests that just because America did not gain independence in 1776 does not mean that it will never make the attempt, and the approach that the characters take towards their own world is quite natural. The characterizaton that is found in this novel is also quite satisfying. Sebastian de Ulloa, unlike other vampires, is very convincing as a being who has survived more than a thousand years. While he loves the humans around him quite deeply, he never fools himself into thinking that relationships, let alone people, are meant to last forever. Lady Abigail Garrett, on the other hand, is quite formidable, and though she is more detached than Sebastian, is also an enjoyable character with her dry wit and her take no nonsense attitude. The structure of New Amsterdam might throw some readers off. The novellas do not stand alone, and the stories weave together in ways that can leave a casual reader a little dizzy. However, the worth of New Amsterdam lies in the layering of detail and patterns, and even a single reading gives you the idea that there is a lot that is going underneath the surface. Bear rewards the readers who read closely, but even for ones that do not, New Amsterdam is a wonderful alternative history mystery. New Amsterdam has a great deal to offer, and whether you are interested in excellent world building, a good mystery, some vampire romance or a cast of engaging, intriguing characters, this book has something for you!
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